| dc.description.abstract | Introduction: Although teenage pregnancy is one of the challenges facing the health systems in South Sudan, at a prevalence of 34%, no study at the moment has been conducted to assess adolescent girls’ engagement in sexual risk behaviors that expose them to pregnancy. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of pregnancy risk behaviors among adolescent girls (10-19) years in Shirkat, Juba South Sudan in order to form interventions to reduce teenage pregnancy in South Sudan.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted among sexually-active adolescent girls aged 10-19 years (i.e. those who were engaged in ongoing sexual relationships with a boyfriend or male spouse), living in Shirkat, Juba South Sudan. Data were collected between February and April- 2023. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires while qualitative data were collected using in depth interview (IDI) and focus group discussion (FGD) guides. The term ‘pregnancy risk behavior’ was defined as any sexual behavior that an adolescent girl engaged in that could result in a pregnancy within the last 12 months. An adolescent girl was considered to have engaged in a pregnancy risk behavior if, within the last 12 months, she reported unprotected sexual intercourse since her last menstruation period; reported engaging in sex with 2 or more non-marital sexual partners (i.e. male partners who were not their spouses); did not use condoms or used them inconsistently during sexual intercourse; reported engaging in sex under the influence of alcohol, or did not use contraceptives. A quantitative sample size of 427 adolescent girls was used; 20 adolescent girls (10 ever pregnant but not currently pregnant and 10 who were currently pregnant) were interviewed as in-depth interview participants while 2 focus group discussions were conducted with parents of the adolescent girls and community leaders. Qualitative data were analyzed following a thematic framework approach while quantitative data were analyzed using the STATA software.
Results: Of the 427 girls, 74.9% (320/427) had ever had sex; and of these, 93.4% (299/320) reported that they had sex in the last 12 months. Of these, 16.2% (49/299) were married while 83.6% (250/299) were in a relationship but not married. All girls (299/299) who had sex in the last 12 months reported engaging in pregnancy risk behaviors, irrespective of whether or not they were married. Of those who were married, 30.6% (15/49) engaged in sex with 2+ non-marital partners; 59.2% (29/49) reported that they did not use condoms during sex with their non-marital partners; 49% (24/49) reported that they used condoms inconsistently during sex with their non-marital partners; 28.5% (14/49) engaged in sex under the influence of alcohol while having sex with their non-marital partners, while 69% (34/49) reported that they did not use any form of contraception since their last menstruation period. On the other hand, among those who were not married but in a sexual relationship, 72% (180/250) engaged in sex with 2+ casual partners; 58% (145/250) reported that they did not use condoms during sex with their casual partners; 42% (105/250) reported that they used condoms inconsistently during sex with their casual partners; 10% (25/250) engaged in sex under the influence of alcohol while having sex with their casual partners, while 69.8% (203/299) reported that they did not use any form of contraception since their last menstruation period.
Conclusions: Research findings reveal that all sexually-active adolescent girls in Juba, South Sudan engaged in pregnancy risk behaviors. Adolescent girls reported more of non-use of contraceptives, multiple sex partners and nonuse and inconsistent use of condoms during sex than other behaviors. To address these issues, it is crucial to implement comprehensive sex education programs, promote condom use, increase accessibility to contraceptives, overcome barriers to contraceptive access, disseminate accurate information about contraceptives, and raise awareness about the risks of alcohol use in sexual contexts. By adopting a multi-faceted approach, we can empower adolescent girls to make informed decisions and improve their sexual and reproductive health outcomes. | en_US |
