Who is sexually active? Using a multicomponent sexual activity profile (MSAP) to explore, identify and describe sexuallyactive high-school students in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC
Abstract
: Understanding sexual activity is necessary to prevent sexually transmitted infections. Evidence from
Sub-Saharan Africa suggests that 10–20% of youth aged 15–24 are sexually active before reaching 15 years, yet
estimating sexual activity remains challenging. This study explored the use of multiple sexual health outcomes to
identify sexually-active young women in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Methods: Using a multi-component sexual activity profile (MSAP), we aimed to identify sexually active students. Based
on data from 2675 grade 9 and 10 students attending 14 high schools) in rural KwaZulu-Natal, we constructed a
descriptive diagram identifying students who were sexually active by self-report vs MSAP profile. T-tests for two
independent samples was performed to compare by sex and ecological variables that characterise students newlyidentified as sexually active.
Results: Using self-report only, 40.3% self-reported as sexually active, whilst the MSAP identified 48.7% (223 additional
students). More females were identified than males. Younger adolescents were more likely to underreport sexual activity
but were identified using MSAP. Newly-identified as sexually active were more likely to be female (p = < 0.000), 15 years
old or younger (p = 0.008), less likely to perceive being at risk (p = 0.037) or have ever used alcohol (p = < 0.000). At a
relational level, they were less likely to report having ever had a boyfriend/girlfriend (p = 0.000) or to have felt pressured to
have sex by their peers (p = < 0.000) or partners (p = 0.008). At a familial level they more likely to be of medium
socioeconomic (SES) status (p = 0.037) whilst at a school and community level they were less likely to have repeated a
grade (p = 0.024) and were more likely to be engaged in social activities (p = 0.032).
Description
Keywords
Sexual activity, Risk profiles, Sexual reproductive health, HIV, Young people, School students
Citation
Humphries, H. et al. (2019). Who is sexually active? Using a multi-component sexual activity profile (MSAP) to explore, identify and describe sexually-active high-school students in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6602-y