Ishmael Kalule-Sabiti

Social Structure and Sexual Behaviour of Black African Adolescents in the North West Province, South Africa

ABSTRACT The present study was guided by Bronfenbrenners bio-ecological theory of human development. Among the social ecological context variables examined were school, peer, community and family influences on adolescent sexual behaviours among black African adolescents in the North West Province of South Africa. Consistent with existing empirical evidence, aspects of contextual factors such as peer, school, family and community proved to be significant in understanding adolescent sexual behaviours, even though some of these effects were not always in the expected direction. Beside these contextual factors, individual-level factors such as age, gender, religious affiliation, residence, grade level and aggressiveness were also found to be important correlates of adolescent sexual behaviour.

Country Monographs: Post-Apartheid South Africa

Historically, South Africa has relied on foreign migrant workers for its industrial and general economic development; this is especially true for the migration of workers from other parts of Africa (Davies and Head, 1995). In fact, the analysis of census data since 1911 has shown that about 6 per cent of the country’s population comprised non-South Africans from the region. In 1961, for example, there were 836,000 regional migrants in the country (Peberdy, 1997). Meanwhile, consistent with the racist orientation of the country’s immigration policy, the government welcomed whites from neighbouring states in Southern Africa who felt threatened by black majority rule (Crush, 2000). Between 1960 and 1980, for instance, skilled and semi-skilled white migrants from Zambia, Kenya and Zimbabwe were given citizenship to boost the local ‘white’ population (Peberdy, 1997). It was within this context of South Africa’s conflicting immigration regimes that Crush and McDonald (2001) noted that the country’s twentieth-century immigration policies under white rule were racist,1 exploiting migrant labour from neighbouring countries and repudiating international refugee conventions.

Psycho-social experiences and coping among caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS in the North-West province of South Africa.

This study examined psycho-social experiences and coping among caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS in the North West Province of South Africa. Using a cross-sectional survey design and non-probability purposive sampling method, 728 participants were surveyed. Data were collected using self-developed, validated scales for coping and caregivers’ challenging experiences. Results showed no significant gender difference in coping. Employment status had a significant influence on coping, with the employed coping significantly better than the unemployed. Marital status did not significantly predict coping among caregivers. Caregivers who did not receive food support coped less well with the challenges of caregiving. Caregivers who did not perceive that they had financial challenges, challenges of meeting medical demands of relatives, or the challenge of the fear of death of relatives (respectively) were more likely to cope better with the stress of caring for people living with HIV/AIDS. Caregivers face a number of psycho-social challenges, and it is recommended that policy makers, non-government organizations and healthcare providers review their programmes to assist in addressing psycho-social challenges in this context.

The effect of socio–demographic factors on the utilization of maternal health care services in Uganda

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of demographic and socio-economic factors on the utilization of maternal health care services using the 2006 Uganda Demographic Health Survey. Three measures of maternal health care services are examined, namely visits to antenatal clinic, tetanus toxoid injection and place of delivery. Using binary logistic regression model, we found that urban women are more likely than their rural counterparts to use antenatal care services, receive tetanus toxoid injection and deliver their babies in public health facilities. The same positive association was observed between a woman’s educational attainment and visit to antenatal care clinic, place of delivery and tetanus toxoid injection. The policy implications of general socio-economic empowerment of women are discussed.

The Effect of Socio-Demographic Factors on Risky-Sexual Behaviours of Adolescents in the North West Province of South Africa

The present study sought to fill a research void on adolescent problem behaviours in South Africa by examining individual and contextual factors that affect sexual-risk taking behaviours amongst black African adolescents in a poor community of the North West Province of South Africa. Using the logistic and Poisson regression analytical techniques, we find that individual and contextual factors such as gender, grade, religiosity, peer influence, parental value of children, parent-child communication, school attachment, the use of alcohol and substance like tobacco and marijuana all affect sexual risk behaviours like lifetime sex, recent sexual activity and involvement with multiple sexual partners. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Social Context Factors and Attitudes toward Interracial Relationships on a South African University Campus

The present study used a stratified random sample of undergraduate students at a major Metropolitan University in the Gauteng province of South Africa to examine aspects of the contact hypothesis as originally formulated by Gordon Allport. Specifically, the study sought to examine the effects of two social settings, namely, educational and religious settings on students’ attitudes toward interracial relationships. We failed to find empirical support for our hypotheses that the higher education and religious settings would engender favourable attitudes towards interracial relationships. Rather we found the secondary education setting, being African, having intimate interactions with people of different racial backgrounds positively influence students attitudes towards interracial relationships.

Analysing cross-sectional data with time-dependent covariates: The case of age at first birth in south Africa

Analysing time-dependent independent variables requires the use of process-oriented statistical models. Yet social scientists--especially those in poor countries--have often had to use data collected at a single point in time, making their task difficult. Making several assumptions about the covariates, the present study uses survival analysis and other statistical techniques to analyse the 1996 South African population census data and examine the effects of selected independent variables on the timing of parenthood in the country. It was found that the onset of parenthood occurs late in South Africa compared with the pattern in most other African societies. While education plays a role in the postponement of parenthood within racial groups, it fails to explain the differences between African and Coloured women on the one hand, and White and Asian women on the other hand, a finding that suggests the existence of two regimes of family formation in South African society.

Lineage and Women’s Autonomy in Household Decision-making in Ghana

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between lineage and women’s autonomy in household decisionmaking using the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey dataset. The sample consists of 1,870 women currently in union. The results show inconsistent support for the hypothesised negative effect of non-matrilineal lineage on the various domains of women’s autonomy in household decision-making. Matrilineal women appear to be more autonomous with respect to decisions on the number of children to have, seeking health care and to some extent freedom of movement. However, there is no significant difference between matrilineal and non-matrilineal women with regard to major and daily household purchases. In addition, the factors that influence women’s autonomy among matrilineal and non-matrilineal women differ across various domains. In general, even though the matrilineal advantage regarding women’s autonomy appears to be weak, matrilineal women appear to be more autonomous in a number of household decision-making domains than non-matrilineal women.

BIOSOCIAL CORRELATES OF AGE AT FIRST SEXUAL INTERCOURSE: THE CASE OF GRADE 9 AND GRADE 11 PUPILS IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Survival analysis - specifically the actuarial life-table method and the Cox Proportional Hazards model - was used to assess Bronfenbrenners bio-ecological model with regards to the onset of sexual intercourse in a random sample of 1697 grade 9 and grade 11 pupils in the North West Province of South Africa. Data were collected in July and August 2007. Of the contextual factors examined, only academic performance and community disorganization were found to be statistically significantly associated with age at first sexual intercourse amongst girls. High academic performance by girls is positively associated with age at first sexual intercourse, while girls who live in disorganized communities initiate sexual intercourse earlier than their counterparts in other communities. Age is negatively associated with the timing of first sexual debut among both girls and boys. Males initiate sexual intercourse earlier than females, while youths with at least one sexual partner are much more likely to initiate sexual intercourse earlier than those without sexual partners.

Women’s Autonomy in Ghana: Does Religion Matter?

This paper examines the role of religion in women’s autonomy in Ghana. The study uses data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, with an analytic sample of 1,424 women married to men of the same religious affiliation. The results indicate that the effect of religion on womens autonomy is non-existent. The results show that, Muslim women are as autonomous as Christian women once region and other socio-demographic factors are controlled. Contrary to expectation, women in northern Ghana, who are disadvantaged in terms of education, economic status among others, appear to be more autonomous in some domains of household decision-making than women in southern Ghana, a setting which is more developed and expected to be egalitarian. Majority of Ghanaian women appear to be autonomous across various domains of their lives; however, they largely participate as opposed to solely making decisions.