Predictors of primary and secondary sexual abstinence among never-married youth in urban poor Accra, Ghana
21 February 2020

Sexual abstinence is a key component of the strategy to address unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and HIV among youth in sub-Sahara Africa. But contextual pressures make abstaining from sex a formidable task for urban poor youth in the sub-region. Nevertheless, some youth in these settings still manage to resist the pressure to initiate sex early, while others choose abstinence after an initial sexual debut. Few studies in the sub-region have examined sexual abstinence among urban poor youth. The study therefore examined the factors that predict primary and secondary sexual abstinence among youth in urban poor Accra. The findings highlight the protective factors associated with sexual intercourse and should help to address the needs of youth at risk of unprotected sex.

You can access the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-020-0885-4

Authors: Nurudeen Alhassan & F. Nii-Amoo Dodoo

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