Predictors of multiple concurrent and multiple sexual partnerships among male and female youth aged 18–24 in South Africa

Abstract

This study aimed to determine predictors of multiple concurrent and multiple sexual partnerships among South African male and female youth. Data were from a cross-sectional population-based household survey of 3 123 youths aged 18 to 24 years from four South African provinces (males = 53.6%, blacks = 97.8%). Results from a sub-sample of being sexually active in the past 12 months (n = 1787) indicate that 5.3% (7.1% in males and 3.1% in females) youth participants had multiple concurrent sexual partners, and 38.8% (50.1% in males and 25.8% in females) had had two or more sexual partners in the past 12 months. Among females, multiple concurrent partnerships were only predicted by lower social network resources. Predictors of multiple sexual partnerships (two or more sexual partners in the past 12 months) among males included high HIV risk perception, never been tested for HIV and hazardous or harmful alcohol use. By contrast, among females, high peer pressure, lower education and ever having taken drugs predicted involvement with multiple sexual partners. Multi-level health promotion interventions are indicated for sexual behaviour change among South African youth.

Keywords:

• multiple concurrent partners
• multiple sexual partners
• HIV
• individual
• social and structural predictors
• South Africa
• youth

Acknowledgements

This research was a collaborative project between loveLife and the Human Sciences Research Council, and was made possible by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. We would like to acknowledge loveLife and the anonymous review committee for their comments and suggestions. We would also like to thank the research participants who took part in the study, and Prof. Peter Njuho for his contribution to an earlier analysis of the data. In addition, this work is in part based on research supported by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant specific unique reference number (UID) 85497). The grant holder acknowledges that opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in any publication generated by the NRF supported research are that of the authors, and that the NRF accepts no liability whatsoever in this regard.