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Review Article: A review of studies of sexual behaviour of school students in sub-Saharan Africa

Department of Psychiatry, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, skaaya{at}muchs.ac.tz

Alan J. Flisher

Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Republic of South Africa

Jessie K. Mbwambo

Department of Psychiatry, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Herman Schaalma

Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Maastricht University, The Netherlands

Leif Edvard Aarø

Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Norway

Knut-Inge Klepp

Institute for Nutrition Research, University of Oslo, Norway

Aims: This is a review of articles on sexual behaviour of school students in sub-Saharan Africa published between 1987 and 1999. The objective was to describe what is known in this regard and identify gaps in knowledge. Methods: Literature search using electronic databases and a thumb search of relevant journals identified 47 articles reporting sexual behaviours of school-based young persons aged between 14 and 24 years. Results: The fi ndings indicate a relatively low number of articles when one considers the scope of the problems related to adolescent sexual behaviour in the region; high prevalence rates of sexual intercourse; infrequent use of condoms and other contraceptives; and signifi cant proportions of adolescents who have two or more lifetime sexual partners. More data are needed on the extent to which adolescents engage in non-penetrative sexual behaviour and penetrative sex other than heterosexual vaginal intercourse; characteristics of the sexual partners of adolescents; and proximal psychosocial antecedents of sexual behaviour and consistent risk-reduction behaviours. Conclusions: Cultural infl uences on sexual behaviour, the sensitivity of such research in adolescent populations, and the opportunity afforded by school systems for intervention suggest a need for additional exploratory and methodological studies. Placing such information fi rmly within sociocultural contexts in which young people are raised will better inform effective interventions that both delay the onset of sexual intercourse and encourage use of risk reduction strategies.

Key Words: school-based adolescents • sexual behaviours • sub-Saharan Africa.

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 30, No. 2, 148-160 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/14034948020300020901


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