Jones Adjei

Religion, HIV/AIDS and sexual risk-taking among men in Ghana.

Although a growing body of research has linked religious involvement with HIV/AIDS protective behaviour in Africa, the focus has mainly been on women. Given the patriarchal nature of African culture, this paper argues for the inclusion of men, a critical group whose sexual behaviours have increasingly been linked to the spread and sustenance of the virus in the region. Drawing on different theoretical discourses and using data from the 2003 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, this paper examines how religious affiliation influences mens risky sexual behaviours. While the results from the bivariate analysis suggested that Muslims and Traditionalists were significantly less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour compared with Christians, those differences disappeared once socioeconomic variables were controlled, rendering support for the selectivity thesis. This finding could benefit programmatic and policy formulation regarding AIDS prevention in Ghana.

Superstition, witchcraft and HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa: the case of Ghana

Belief in superstition and witchcraft is central to many African conceptions of illness, disease causation and etiology. While a number of anthropological studies have alluded to a theoretical link between such beliefs and HIV prevention in particular, there is limited empirical assessment of the association. Using data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and applying random-effects logit models, we investigate whether the belief that AIDS can spread through witchcraft associates with the sexual decision making of never-married men and women. The results show that men who believed AIDS can spread through witchcraft and other supernatural means were less likely to have used condoms at last sexual intercourse, controlling for other socioeconomic and cultural variables. Women with similar beliefs were more likely to have experienced sexual intercourse but less likely to have used condoms at last sex. For women, however, the relationship between such superstitious beliefs and condom use was somewhat attenuated after controlling for ethnicity and region of residence. From a policy perspective, the findings suggest that local beliefs regarding AIDS causation must be considered in designing HIV/AIDS programmes and interventions.

Trends and disparities in disordered eating among heterosexual and sexual minority adolescents

OBJECTIVE Disordered eating has decreased for all youth over time, but studies have not focused specifically on lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth. Research has found that LGB youth report disordered eating behaviors more often compared to their heterosexual counterparts, but no studies have documented trends over time for LGB youth and considered whether these disparities are narrowing or widening across sexual orientation groups. METHOD We use pooled data from the 1999 to 2013 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (N = 26,002) to investigate trends in purging, fasting, and using diet pills to lose or control weight for heterosexual and sexual minority youth. We used crosstabs, logistic regression, and interactions in regression models, stratified by sex. RESULTS The prevalence of disordered eating has decreased on all three measures across nearly all groups of heterosexual and sexual minority youth. However, we found disparities in reported disordered eating behaviors for LGB youth persisted across all survey years, with LGB students reporting significantly higher prevalence of disordered eating than heterosexuals. The disparities in fasting to control weight widened between the first and last survey waves between lesbian adolescents and heterosexual females. DISCUSSION The significant reductions over time in prevalence of disordered eating among some youth are encouraging, but the disparities remain. Indeed, the increasing prevalence of fasting, diet pill use, and purging to control weight among lesbians may warrant targeted prevention and intervention programs.

Religion, Contraception, and Method Choice of Married Women in Ghana

Using pooled data from the 1998 and 2003 Demographic and Health Surveys, this paper investigates the association between religion and contraceptive behavior of married women in Ghana. Guided by the particularized theology and characteristics hypotheses, multinomial logit and complementary log–log models are used to explore denominational differences in contraceptive adoption among currently married women and assess whether the differences could be explained through other characteristics. We found that while there were no differences between women of different Christian faiths, non-Christian women (Muslim and Traditional) were significantly more likely to have never used contraception compared with Christian women. Similar observations were made on current use of contraception, although the differences were greatly reduced in the multivariate models.

Sexual orientation trends and disparities in school bullying and violence-related experiences, 1999–2013.

Numerous recent studies have demonstrated that schools are often unsafe for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents, who are more likely than heterosexual peers to be bullied, harassed, or victimized in school contexts. Virtually all of these studies call for change, yet none investigate whether or not it has occurred. Using repeated waves of a population-based high school survey, we examine (1) the extent to which sexual orientation differences in school bullying and violence-related experiences are reported by lesbian/gay, bisexual, and heterosexual male and female adolescents; (2) trends in school bullying and violence-related experiences for each gender/orientation group, and (3) whether disparities have changed over time. Data were drawn from eight Massachusetts biennial Youth Risk Behavior Surveys from 1999 to 2013, grouped into 4 waves totaling 24,845 self-identified heterosexual, 270 lesbian/gay, and 857 bisexual youth. Disparities between LGB and heterosexual peers were found in all indicators. Heterosexual youth and gay males saw significant reductions in every outcome between the first and last waves. Among bisexual males, skipping school due to feeling unsafe, carrying weapons in school, and being bullied all decreased, but among lesbians and bisexual females only fighting in school declined significantly. Improvement trends in school safety were more consistent for heterosexual youth and gay males than for bisexual or lesbian females. Notably, despite these improvements, almost no reduction was seen in sexual orientation disparities. Future research should identify influences leading to reduced school victimization, especially focusing on ways of eliminating persistent sexual orientation disparities. Future research should identify influences leading to reduced school victimization, especially focusing on ways of eliminating persistent sexual orientation disparities.

Prevalence of pregnancy involvement among Canadian transgender youth and its relation to mental health, sexual health, and gender identity

ABSTRACT While little research has been conducted into the reproductive experiences of transgender people, available evidence suggests that like cisgender people, most transgender people endorse a desire for these experiences. This study explores the pregnancy experiences and related health factors among transgender and gender diverse 14 to 25 year olds using a national Canadian sample (N = 923). Results indicated that 26 (5%) transgender youth reported a pregnancy experience in the past and the prevalence among 14- to 18-year-olds was comparable to population-based estimates using the same question in the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey. Transgender youth with a history of pregnancy involvement reported a diverse range of gender identities, and this group did not differ from the remainder of the sample on general mental health, social supports, and living in felt gender. This group did report over six times greater likelihood of having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection by a doctor (19%), but they did not differ in reported contraception use during last sexual intercourse. These findings suggest that pregnancy involvement is an issue that should not be overlooked by health professionals working with transgender youth and that this group has particular sexual health needs.

Adolescent Sexual Risk-Taking in the Informal Settlements of Nairobi, Kenya: Understanding the Contributions of Religion

Young people in sub-Saharan Africa are at the centre of the global HIV epidemic as they account for a disproportionate share of new infections. Their vulnerability to HIV has been attributed to a myriad of factors, in particular, risky sexual behaviours. While economic factors are important, increasing attention has been devoted to religion on the discourse on sexual decision-making because religious values provide a perspective on life that often conflicts with risky sexual behaviours. Given the centrality of religion in the African social fabric, this study assesses the relationship between adolescent religiousness and involvement in risky sexual behaviours using data from the informal settlements of Nairobi. Guided by social control theory, the paper explores if and how religion and religiosity affect sexual risk-taking among adolescents.

Perceptions of HIV/AIDS Risk and Sexual Risk-Taking of Young People in Ghana

Abstract Young people in sub-Saharan Africa are identified as vulnerable to HIV infection; their vulnerability is attributed to risky sexual behaviours, low risk perceptions, and lack of access to HIV information. Very few studies, however, have linked perceptions of HIV/AIDS risks and knowledge about AIDS to sexual behaviours of youth in Ghana. Using the 1998 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, this paper explores whether knowledge and perceptions of HIV/AIDS risk inform the sexual behaviours of never-married youth aged 15 to 24 years. We also assess whether such perceptions vary between females and males. From a policy perspective, understanding this link may be crucial to checking the further spread of HIV/AIDS.

Household bednet ownership and use in Ghana: Implications for malaria control

The distribution of insecticide bednets has become a key malaria control strategy in endemic regions. The literature, however, points to a gap between availability and use. Using nationally representative household data from Ghana, this study investigates the factors that associate with household bednet ownership and use among minor children. The results indicate that more than half of Ghanaian households do not own any bednet ; while among those who do, household crowding and other socio-demographic factors tend to impede their use. This notwithstanding, the analysis suggests that scaling up bednet distribution could facilitate increased use among vulnerable populations.

Household Living Arrangements and Transition to Sexual Debut among Young People in Ghana.

There is abundant research on the links between family and household structure and young peoples sexual risk-taking behaviours, but this scholarship although emerging in sub-Saharan Africa is largely limited to the West. Using data from the 2004 National Adolescent Survey conducted among 12–19 year olds in Ghana, and applying discrete time hazard models, this study examined the effects of household living arrangements on the timing of first sexual intercourse among adolescents in Ghana. The study also explored the extent to which parental monitoring and supervision mediates the effects of household living arrangements on age at first sex. Results indicate that young people who live alone, with grandparents or other households had a higher risk of first sex compared with those who lived with both biological parents. Much of this advantage, however, could be attributed to parental monitoring and household wealth. There were significant gender differences among Akan and non-Akans regarding the timing of sexual debut among young people in Ghana.