Sexual activity, family life education, and contraceptive practice among young adults in Banjul, The Gambia.

This report presents results from a 1986-87 two-stage probability sample survey of 2,507 young men and women aged 14-24 living in the Greater Banjul region of The Gambia. Although premarital sexual activity was common and began at an early age, lack of knowledge and limited access to modern contraceptives were obstacles to the use of family planning. Of all ever sexually active single persons, only 21 percent of the young women and 7 percent of the young men had practiced contraception at the time of first intercourse. Almost half of the sexually active young adults had ever used contraceptives, with oral contraceptives and condoms being the methods most widely known and used. Results of logistic regression analyses show that attendance at family life education lectures in school had significant positive relationships to both knowledge and use of contraceptives among the young people surveyed. The study presents encouraging evidence that acceptance of modern contraceptive use is beginning to take hold among young people in urban Banjul.

[Adolescent pregnancy and contraception in greater Banjul. Young people need precise information]. / Grossesse de l'adolescente et contraception dans l'agglomeration de Banjul. Les jeunes ont besoin d'une information precise.

PIP: During November 1986-February 1987, a knowledge, attitude, and practice study was conducted among 2521 youth 14-24 years old in the Banjul area of the Gambia. Sexual activity was more common among single men than single women (73% vs. 28%). Single men were more likely to be currently sexually active than single women (31% vs. 15%). 51% of single sexually active women had had at least one pregnancy. About 66% of pregnancies were unwanted. 90% of women who were in school when they conceived quit school. Most youth (76% for women and 89% for men) had heard of at least one contraceptive method. More than 33% of the youth thought it impossible to conceive during first intercourse. Most youth thought that oral contraceptives (OCs) were a greater risk than an unplanned pregnancy. Sexually active youth were more likely to have heard of at least one contraceptive method and to approve of its use (regardless of marital status) than non-sexually active youth. Single men knew more about most family planning methods than single women. Family life education at school or at social service programs increased family planning knowledge. Among the sexually active, 38% of married women, 56% of single women, and 43% of single men had used contraception, especially OCs and condoms. Contraceptive use increased with age. Single women were more likely to have used contraception at first intercourse than single men (21% vs. 7%). Lack of information was a major reason for non-use of contraceptives among single youth. Male youth were more likely to know about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than female youth (87% vs. 46%). Sexually active single men were 5 times more likely to have had an STD than married women and sexually active single women. Men were more likely to have heard of AIDS than women ( 50% vs. 25%). Family life education at school or in the communities may be an important first step to achieve access to family planning and reproductive health information and services.^ieng