Citation

Rogers K, Ranganathan M, Kajula L, Lorraine Collins R, Livingston JA, Palermo T. Sex. Reprod. Health Matters 2023; 31(1): e2260169.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/26410397.2023.2260169

PMID

37850724

Abstract

Gender norms that centre men and disadvantage women create gender inequality, which can lead to risky sexual behaviour. This study examined how both community and individual attitudes toward gender norms influenced risky sexual behaviour in adolescents, and whether that influence was different between males and females. We found that higher gender-equitable attitudes were linked to increased odds of HIV testing in the last 12 months, and decreased odds of engaging in a sexual relationship with a much older partner. Individual high gender-equitable attitudes among girls were also linked to higher odds of them using condoms and contraceptives. Gender-equitable attitudes did not seem to influence early sexual debut, engagement in transactional sex, having multiple sexual partners at the same time, or the number of sexual partners a participant had in the last 12 months. Based on these findings, programming designed to increase gender-equitable attitudes might be helpful in increasing HIV testing and condom and contraceptive use, but it needs to involve the entire community, not just individual boys and girls.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescents; Tanzania; gender norms; sexual and reproductive health; sexual risk behaviour; transactional sex