The Determinants of Sexual Behaviour Among Young People

In recent years, researchers and policymakers have been attempting to identify factors which influence young people’s sexual behaviour so that meaningful prevention and intervention programmes can be developed. Therefore, there has been a renewed interest on the health risks of unsafe sexual behaviour among young people aged 15-24, the stage when sexual activity including risky sexual behaviour is likely to begin. This book provides useful analysis on the levels and predictors of young people’s sexual behaviour based on the 2005 Zambia Sexual Behaviour Survey. It clearly demonstrates that age at first sex, age at first childbearing and condom use at first sex differ by cohort, gender, urban/rural residence, marital status, educational attainment, and province of residence. The analysis offers more insights on the timing and determinants of sexual debut, first childbearing and condom use at first sex. It is particularly useful to policymakers, development planners and anyone interested in designing appropriate interventions targeting sexually transmitted infections including HIV and AIDS and family planning programmes among young people.