Transactional Sex, Condom Use, and Economic Empowerment among Adolescents and Young Adults in Nigeria: Further Evidence from the Nigeria Demographics and Health Survey (2018)

Nebechukwu Henry Ugwu, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Clifford Obby Odimegwu, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Makinde A. Olusesan, The Viable Knowledge Masters Limited, Abuja

Globally, despite increasing social and economic interventions to achieve better health behaviour outcomes for the younger generation, the pace of engagement of young people in Risky Sexual Behaviour (RSB) is alarming, particularly in developing countries. The 2018 NDHS survey data was used to better understand RSB (transactional sex and condom use) among 12,664 unmarried adolescents and young adults in Nigeria. Descriptive and analytical analyses were performed, including multivariate logistic analysis. The results showed that the risk of engagement in RSB was significantly associated with age, particularly when not economically empowered (OR:1.69, Crl:1.04-2.76), residing in communities with average poverty (OR:1.34, Crl:0.69-2.59), including youths in higher education (OR:3.22, Crl:1.20, 8.66), community media (OR:2.04, Crl:1.27-3.26) and, high poverty communities (OR:1.54, Crl:0.94, 2.54). To lessen the negative effects of RSB and its consequences, government and non-governmental organisations should implement adaptation and mitigation strategies to empower youth and discourage them from engaging in RSB