Department of Emergency and Critical Care Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Department of Medical Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
BMC Womens Health. 2024 Apr 30;24(1):269. doi: 10.1186/s12905-024-03107-x.
Risky sexual behavior exposes an individual to the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Even though risky sexual behavior is a devastating problem in low- and middle-income countries, studies on risky sexual behavior and associated factors among reproductive-age women in Eastern African countries are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the magnitude of risky sexual behavior and associated factors among reproductive-age women in Eastern African countries that help to target high-risk groups and set appropriate intervention.
The appended and recent Demographic and Health Survey dataset of 10 Eastern African countries from 2012 to 2022 was used for data analysis. A total of 111,895 participants were included in this study as a weighted sample. Associated factors were determined using a multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model. Significant factors in the multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model were declared significant at p-values < 0.05. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and confidence interval (CI) were used to interpret the results.
The overall magnitude of risky sexual behavior among reproductive-age women in Eastern African countries was 28.16% (95% CI 27.90%, 28.43%), which ranged from 3.80% in Ethiopia to 67.13% in Kenya. In the multivariable analysis, being a younger woman, being an educated woman, being tested for human immunodeficiency virus, having work, drinking alcohol, and being an urban dweller were factors that were significantly associated with higher odds of risky sexual behavior.
The overall magnitude of risky sexual behavior among reproductive-age women in Eastern African countries was high. Individual-level (being a younger woman, being an educated woman, being tested for human immunodeficiency virus, having work, and drinking alcohol) and community-level (being an urban dweller) variables were associated with higher odds of risky sexual behavior. Therefore, policymakers and other stakeholders should give special consideration to urban dwellers, educated, worker and younger women. Better to improve the healthy behavior of women by minimizing alcohol consumption and strengthening HIV testing and counseling services to reduce the magnitude of risky sexual behavior.
性行为风险会使个人面临感染性传播感染（包括人类免疫缺陷病毒[HIV]）的风险。尽管性行为风险是中低收入国家的一个严重问题，但关于东非国家育龄妇女性行为风险和相关因素的研究有限。因此，本研究旨在评估东非国家育龄妇女性行为风险的程度和相关因素，以帮助确定高风险群体并制定适当的干预措施。
本研究使用了 2012 年至 2022 年来自 10 个东非国家的最新人口与健康调查数据集进行数据分析。共有 111895 名参与者作为加权样本纳入本研究。使用多水平混合效应逻辑回归模型确定相关因素。在多水平混合效应逻辑回归模型中具有统计学意义的因素在 p 值<0.05 时被认为具有统计学意义。调整后的优势比（AOR）和置信区间（CI）用于解释结果。
东非国家育龄妇女性行为风险的总体程度为 28.16%（95%CI 27.90%，28.43%），范围从埃塞俄比亚的 3.80%到肯尼亚的 67.13%。在多变量分析中，年轻女性、受过教育的女性、接受人类免疫缺陷病毒检测、有工作、饮酒和居住在城市是与性行为风险较高相关的因素。
东非国家育龄妇女性行为风险的总体程度较高。个体层面（年轻女性、受过教育的女性、接受人类免疫缺陷病毒检测、有工作和饮酒）和社区层面（居住在城市）变量与性行为风险较高相关。因此，政策制定者和其他利益相关者应特别关注城市居民、受过教育、有工作和年轻的女性。通过减少饮酒量和加强艾滋病毒检测和咨询服务，改善妇女的健康行为，以降低性行为风险的程度。
