Skip to main content

Table 2 Characteristics of sexual behaviour of women by different age-groups (n = 569)

From: Sexual behaviour of women in rural South Africa: a descriptive study

Characteristic

<25 years (n = 155)

25-34 years (n = 210)

>34 years (n = 204)

p-value

General characteristics

 HIV infected

20 (17)

74 (47)

84 (52)

<0.001

 Hormonal contraceptives

63 (41)

86 (41)

75 (37)

0.66

 Intravaginal cleansing

34 (22)

47 (23)

54 (27)

0.50

 Vaginal scarring practice

6 (3.9)

15 (7.1)

14 (6.9)

0.38

 Visits bars*

33 (22)

26 (12)

17 (8.4)

0.001

 Alcohol use [before sexual intercourse]

18 (12)

26 (12)

12 (5.9)

0.061

Sexual practice in past 6 months

 Currently has a steady partner

146 (95)

199 (96)

192 (95)

0.92

 Currently has occasional partner(s)

16 (10)

26 (13)

21 (10)

0.73

 Condom use during last sex act

57 (37)

73 (35)

76 (37)

0.86

 Receptive anal intercourse

9 (6.0)

10 (5.0)

7 (3.7)

0.60

 Practices fellatio^

28 (19)

34 (17)

14 (7.3)

0.003

   HIV +

3 (16)

8 (11)

5 (6.6)

0.18

   HIV -

21 (23)

19 (24)

6 (8)

0.021

Sexual contact in past 12 months

 Concurrent sexual partnersa

25 (16)

45 (22)

17 (8.4)

0.001

   HIV +

2 (11)

17 (24)

23 (28)

0.18

   HIV -

14 (15)

16 (19)

3 (3.8)

0.048

 Sexual partner > 10 years olderb

27 (18)

40 (19)

59 (29)

0.014

   HIV +

2 (11)

17 (24)

23 (28)

0.14

   HIV -

23 (24)

16 (19)

29 (37)

0.069

 Sex with multiple partners

4 (2.6)

6 (2.9)

3 (1.5)

0.61

 Experienced coercion

34 (22)

52 (25)

50 (25)

0.77

 Experienced force

7 (4.5)

5 (2.4)

4 (2.0)

0.33

 Sex for money or material benefits

2 (1.3)

8 (3.8)

2 (1.0)

0.096

 Commercial sex work

1 (0.6)

0 (0)

1 (0.5)

0.54

About steady sexual partner (n = 538)

 Knows that partner has concurrent partners †

21 (14)

52 (26)

61 (32)

0.001

 Circumcised partnerc

136 (95)

169 (87)

161 (87)

0.030

   HIV +

17 (90)

55 (82)

60 (80)

0.38

   HIV -

86 (98)

71 (93)

68 (91)

0.054

 Knows partner’s HIV-status

47 (33)

53 (27)

74 (39)

0.035

   HIV +

5 (26)

19 (27)

43 (55)

0.001

   HIV -

32 (36)

26 (34)

27 (36)

0.94

  1. Data are provided as numbers (%) and median (range)
  2. Some significant variables are further analysed and stratified for HIV infection
  3. aOlder women reported significantly less often to have concurrent sexual partners than women of 25–34 years (p < 0.001) and 18–24 years (p < 0.05)
  4. bPartner >10y older was reported more often by older women (>34 years) compared to younger women (p < 0.05)
  5. cYoung women (<25 years) reported more often a circumcised partner than older women (p < 0.05)
  6. *The association of women visiting bars of age <25 vs. 25–34 years and <25 vs. >34 years were significant, however no significant association was observed for women 25–34 vs. >34 years
  7. ^The association of women practicing fellatio of age <25 vs. >34 years and 25–34 vs. >34 years and were significant, however no significant association was observed for women <25 vs. 25–34 years
  8. †The association of women knowing their partner has concurrent partners of age <25 vs. 25–34 years and <25 vs. >34 years were significant, however no significant association was observed for women 25–34 vs. >34 years
Back to article page

BMC Public Health

ISSN: 1471-2458

Contact us