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A Multilevel Mixed Effect Analysis of Neighbourhood and Individual level Determinants of Risky Sexual Behaviour among young people in South Africa.

Nebechukwu Henry Ugwu, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Clifford O. Odimegwu, University of the Witwatersrand

Background: Neighbourhood and individual-level factors have been found to increase the risk of unwanted pregnancy and STIs, including HIV/AIDS amongst young people. Objective: This study aims to investigate the multilevel factors leading to risky sexual behaviours among young people in South Africa, using the lens of social disorganisation framework. Method: Data from a nationally representative sample of 1,268 males and 2,621 females aged 15-24 giving a total of 3,889 never-married youths were drawn from the 2016 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey. Analysis was conducted using multilevel mixed-effect logistic regressions with random community-level effects. Results: Findings show that at community level clustering, there were statistically significant high engagements in risky sexual practising. Also, neighbourhoods' poverty, residential mobility, family disruption and ethnic diversity were found to be significantly associated with risky sexual practices among young people in South Africa. Conclusion: It was concluded that there is a wide disparity between neighbourhood and household level factors, and risky sexual behaviour among young people which need to be bridged. There is a need to review policies regarding sexual and reproductive health, as well as sexuality education at the community levels among youth in South Africa.

Keywords: Neighbourhood/contextual effect analysis, Children and youth, Multi-level modeling

See extended abstract.

  Presented in Session 110. Sexual and Reproductive Health of Young People