Gender-specific patterns of multiple concurrent sexual partnerships: a national cross sectional survey in Botswana

Abstract

A priority of AIDS prevention in Botswana is to reduce multiple concurrent sexual partnerships. We analysed data from interviews with people aged 16–60 years in a 2007 national stratified random cluster sample of communities across Botswana.

Among 768 male and 1784 female respondents, 10% reported multiple sexual partners in the month prior to the survey (MP1); 19% of men and 6% of women. In a multivariate analysis, men were more likely to report MP1 if they had not completed primary education (adjusted Odds Ratio (ORa) 2.13, 95% confidence intervals with adjustment for clustering (CIca) 1.19–3.85), if they were single (ORa 2.29, 95% CIca 1.28–4.11), if they had experienced intimate partner violence in the last year (ORa 2.59, 95% CIca 1.51–4.45) and if they reported acquiescence to high risk sex (ORa 8.32, 95% CIca 3.38–20.46). Women who said they earned more or the same as their partner were also more likely to report MP1 (ORa 1.76, 95% CIca 1.21–2.56).

The higher rate of MP1 among men with different forms of choice-disability shows an important potential multiplication of male risk factors. Women with higher income were more likely to have more partners, questioning the idea that multiple concurrent partners is mainly a question of male disposable income.

Keywords:

• HIV prevention
• multiple partners
• risk factors
• Botswana

Acknowledgements

The findings of this paper emanate from further analysis of the “Soul City regional programme audience reception and impact evaluation”, for which CIET was commissioned to undertake surveys in eight countries in 2002–2003 and 2007.