HIV and Sexual Behaviour Among Young South Africans: a National Survey of 15-24 Year Olds
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HIV and Sexual Behaviour Among Young South Africans: A national survey of 15-24 year olds National Survey of HIV and Sexual Behaviour among 15-24 year olds 2003 1 Published April 6, 2004 Suggested Citation: National Survey of HIV and Sexual Behaviour among 15-24 year olds 2003 2 Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the team members at the RHRU who helped with implementing this survey, particularly Kim Dickson-Tetteh and Tonnicah Maphanga; the staff at Development Research Africa (DRA) who conducted the field work for the survey and entered the data; Contract Laboratory Services (CLS), particularly Grant Napier and Wendy Stevens, who conducted all laboratory work for the survey; the Medical Research Council, in particular Jonathan Levine and Debbie Bradshaw, for their statistical input and methodological advice; Cambridge University, particularly Daniel Low-Beer, who helped with the design of the methodology in the early stages of the research; members of the Human Sciences Research Council, in particular Olive Shisana, who gave helpful insight in the early stages of the research design; and David Stoker who developed the sampling frame and all weighting for the survey. We also wish to acknowledge the contribution of the following individuals to the research design and methodology: Phillipe Mayaud, Nancy Padian, Rand Stoneburner, Daniel Low-Beer, Ward Cates, Malcolm Steinberg and Johannes Van Damme. An editorial review group co-chaired by Professor Linda Richter and Lindiwe Makabalo was constituted and contributed valuable insights to the final draft of this report. Members of the group included: Co-Chair: Linda Richter, Human Sciences Research Council Co-Chair: Lindiwe Makabalo, National Department of Health Saul Johnson, Health and Development Africa Glenda Gray, Perinatal HIV Research Unit Rachel Jewkes, Medical Research Council Eka Williams, Population Council Leickness Simbayi, Human Sciences Research Council Adrien Puren, National Institute for Communicable Diseases Mpho Letlape, Eskom Holdings Ltd. Olive Shisana, Human Sciences Research Council Members of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)/ University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Technical Advisory Board include: Chair, Tom Coates Nancy Padian Steve Shiboski Steve Morin Susan Kegeles Cynthia Gomez Judith Auerbach National Survey of HIV and Sexual Behaviour among 15-24 year olds 2003 3 Table of Contents Executive Summary................................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Language and Definitions...................................................................................................................................... 15 Methodology............................................................................................................................................................... 17 Response Rate...................................................................................................................................................... 18 Training of Fieldworkers........................................................................................................................................ 21 Fieldworkers.......................................................................................................................................................... 21 Community Preparation........................................................................................................................................ 22 Quality Control ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 Data Entry............................................................................................................................................................. 23 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................ 23 Study Limitations................................................................................................................................................... 25 Study Demographics................................................................................................................................................. 27 Results ................................ ..................................................................................................................................... 29 I. HIV, STIs and Pregnancy................................................................................................................................... 29 HIV Prevalence................................................................................................................................................. 29 Profile of HIV Positive Youth............................................................................................................................. 33 HIV Infection among Youth Who Report Never Having Had Sex...................................................................... 33 Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)........................................................................................ 33 Pregnancy........................................................................................................................................................ 33 Termination of Pregnancy .................................................................................................................................36 II. Levels of Sexual Activity .................................................................................................................................... 37 Sexual Experience.............................................................................................................................................37 Sexual Activity in Past 12 Months..................................................................................................................... 38 Frequency of Sexual Activity in Last Month...................................................................................................... 39 Age of First Sex................................................................................................................................................ 40 Ever Physically Forced to Have Sex................................................................................................................. 41 Degree to Which First Intercourse was Wanted................................................................................................ 41 III. Characteristics of Sexual Activity...................................................................................................................... 42 Sexual Partners................................................................................................................................................ 42 Age Difference with Sexual Partners................................................................................................................ 44 Condom Use..................................................................................................................................................... 44 Partner Numbers in Past 12 Months and Condom Use Consistency................................................................. 47 Partner Numbers in Past 12 Months and Condom Use at Last Sex..................................................................48 Partner Type in Past 12 Months and Condom Use at Last sex.........................................................................48 Contraceptive Use ............................................................................................................................................ 49 Alcohol and Drug Use...................................................................................................................................... 49 Transactional Sex............................................................................................................................................... 50 IV. HIV Knowledge, Communication and Perceived Risk...................................................................................... 51 HIV Knowledge................................................................................................................................................. 51 Communication................................................................................................................................................ 53 Perceived Risk of HIV...................................................................................................................................... 55 HIV Testing....................................................................................................................................................... 56 HIV Testing and Perceived Risk of HIV among HIV Positive Youth................................................................. 57 Health Seeking Behaviours.............................................................................................................................. 57 Know Someone with HIV.................................................................................................................................