DHS COMPARATIVE

REPORTS 19

YOUTH REPRODUCTIVE

AND SEXUAL HEALTH

AUGUST 2008

This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by 

Shane Khan and Vinod Mishra of Macro International Inc.
MEASURE DHS assists countries worldwide in the collection and use of data to monitor and evaluate 

population, health, and nutrition programs. Additional information about the MEASURE DHS project can 

be obtained by contacting Macro International Inc., Demographic and Health Research Division, 11785 

Beltsville Drive, Suite 300, Calverton, MD 20705 (telephone: 301-572-0200; fax: 301-572-0999; e-mail: 

reports@macrointernational.com; internet: www.measuredhs.com). 

The main objectives of the MEASURE DHS project are: 

• to provide decisionmakers in survey countries with information useful for informed policy 

choices;

• to expand the international population and health database; 

• to advance survey methodology; and 

• to develop in participating countries the skills and resources necessary to conduct high-quality 

demographic and health surveys. 
DHS Comparative Reports No. 19 

Youth Reproductive and Sexual Health 

Shane Khan 

Vinod Mishra 

Macro International Inc. 

Calverton, MD USA 

August 2008 
Editor: Debbie Berlyne 

Document Production: Betty Olmeda 

This study was carried out with support provided by the United States Agency for International 

Development (USAID) through the MEASURE DHS project (#GPO-C-00-03-00002-00). The views 

expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States 

Government.

Recommended citation: 

Khan, Shane, and Vinod Mishra. 2008. Youth Reproductive and Sexual Health. DHS Comparative 

Reports No. 19. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Macro International Inc. 
iii

Contents

Tables ........................................................................................................................................................... v 

Figures ........................................................................................................................................................ vii 

Preface ......................................................................................................................................................... ix 

Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................... xi 

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... xiii 

1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 

1.1 Youth, Adolescents, and Young People—Who Are They? .............................................. 1

1.2 Framework of the Study ................................................................................................ 1

1.3 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 2

2 Data and Methods .............................................................................................................................. 3 

2.1 Data ........................................................................................................................................ 3

2.2 Definition of Variables ........................................................................................................... 5

2.3 Data Limitations ..................................................................................................................... 6

3 Characteristics of Young Women and Men ...................................................................................... 7 

3.1 Individual Characteristics ....................................................................................................... 7

3.2 Household Characteristics .................................................................................................... 15

4 Adolescent Motherhood, Pregnancy, and Pregnancy Terminations ................................................ 19 

4.1 Levels of Adolescent Pregnancy .......................................................................................... 19

4.2 Differentials in Ever Being Pregnant ................................................................................... 21

5 Youth and Contraception ................................................................................................................. 25 

5.1 Knowledge of Any Modern Method of Contraception ........................................................ 25

5.2 Knowledge of Multiple Methods of Contraception ............................................................. 25

5.3 Ever Use of Any Modern Method in Young Women .......................................................... 27

5.4 Current Use of a Modern Method of Contraception ............................................................ 27

5.5 Differentials in Current Use of a Modern Method of Contraception ................................... 29

5.6 Knowledge of the Fertile Period .......................................................................................... 33

5.7 Levels of Unmet Need for Family Planning ........................................................................ 35

5.8 Differentials in Unmet Need for Family Planning ............................................................... 37

6 Sexual Behaviors of Young Women and Men ................................................................................ 41 

6.1 Levels of Primary and Secondary Abstinence ............................................................... 41

6.2 Differentials in Primary Abstinence in Young Women .................................................. 44

6.3 Differentials in Primary Abstinence in Young Men ....................................................... 48

6.4 Median Age at First Sexual Intercourse ........................................................................ 52

6.5 Multiple Sexual Partnerships ....................................................................................... 54

6.6 Differentials in Multiple Partnerships in Young Men .................................................... 56

6.7 Higher-Risk Sex ......................................................................................................... 60

6.8 Condom Use with Higher-Risk Sexual Partners ............................................................ 63

6.9 Differentials in Higher-Risk Sex in Young Women ....................................................... 64

6.10 Differentials in Higher-Risk Sex in Young Men ................................................................. 68

6.11 Age Mixing in Sexual Relationships .................................................................................... 72
iv

7 HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes, and Other STIs ................................................................... 73 

7.1 Ever Heard of HIV/AIDS ............................................................................................... 73

7.2 Knowledge of HIV Prevention Methods .......................................................................... 75

7.3 Accepting Attitudes toward People Living with HIV in Young Women ........................... 78

7.4 Accepting Attitudes toward People Living with HIV in Young Men ................................. 80

7.5 HIV Testing and Receipt of Results ................................................................................ 82

7.6 Self-Reported STIs ........................................................................................................ 84

8 Summary and Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 87 

References ................................................................................................................................................... 89
v

Tables

Table 2.1 Summary of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and AIDS Indicator 

Surveys (AIS), 2001-05 ...................................................................................................... 4

Table 3.1 Background characteristics of respondents: age, residence, and years in 

place of current residence .................................................................................................. 8

Table 3.2 Background characteristics of respondents: education and media exposure .................... 10 

Table 3.3 Background characteristics of respondents: marital status ............................................... 12 

Table 3.4 Background characteristics of respondents: work status .................................................. 14 

Table 3.5 Household characteristics of young women ..................................................................... 16 

Table 3.6 Household characteristics of young men .......................................................................... 17

Table 4.1 Adolescent motherhood, pregnancy, and pregnancy terminations ................................... 20 

Table 4.2 Differentials in ever being pregnant, by individual characteristics ................................... 22 

Table 4.3 Differentials in ever being pregnant, by household characteristics .................................. 24 

Table 5.1 Knowledge and ever use of contraception ........................................................................ 26 

Table 5.2 Current use of contraception ............................................................................................. 28 

Table 5.3 Differentials in current use of contraception, by individual characteristics ...................... 30 

Table 5.4 Differentials in current use of contraception, by household characteristics ..................... 32 

Table 5.5 Knowledge of a woman’s fertile period ............................................................................ 34

Table 5.6 Unmet need for family planning in young women ........................................................... 36 

Table 5.7 Unmet need for family planning in young women, by individual characteristics ............ 38 

Table 5.8 Unmet need for family planning in young women, by household characteristics ............ 40 

Table 6.1 Levels of primary and secondary abstinence among young women and 

young men ........................................................................................................................ 42 

Table 6.2 Differentials in primary abstinence in young women, by individual characteristics ........ 45 

Table 6.3 Differentials in primary abstinence in young women, by household characteristics ........ 47 

Table 6.4 Differentials in primary abstinence in young men, by individual characteristics ............. 49 

Table 6.5 Differentials in primary abstinence in young men, by household characteristics ............. 51 

Table 6.6 Age at first intercourse ...................................................................................................... 53 

Table 6.7 Multiple sexual partners among young people ................................................................. 55 

Table 6.8 Differentials in multiple partnerships in young men, by individual characteristics .......... 57 

Table 6.9 Differentials in multiple partnerships in young men, by household characteristics ......... 59 

Table 6.10 Higher-risk sex and condom use during higher-risk sex ................................................... 61 

Table 6.11 Differentials in higher-risk sex in young women, by individual characteristics ............... 65 

Table 6.12 Differentials in higher-risk sex in young women, by household characteristics .............. 67 

Table 6.13 Differentials in higher-risk sex in young men, by individual characteristics ................... 69 

Table 6.14 Differentials in higher-risk sex in young men, by household characteristics ................... 71 

Table 6.15 Age mixing in sexual relationships among adolescent girls ............................................. 72 

Table 7.1 Ever heard of HIV/AIDS .................................................................................................. 74 

Table 7.2 Knowledge of HIV prevention .......................................................................................... 76 

Table 7.3 Accepting attitudes toward persons living with HIV among young women .................... 79 

Table 7.4 Accepting attitudes toward persons living with HIV among young men ......................... 81 

Table 7.5 HIV testing and receipt of results ..................................................................................... 83 

Table 7.6 Self-reported STIs and STI symptoms .............................................................................. 85

vii

Figures 

Figure 1.1 Factors that influence youth reproductive health ................................................................. 2

Figure 4.1 Percentage of adolescents age 15-19 who have ever been pregnant in 

selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 ................................................................................ 19 

Figure 5.1 Current use of contraception among currently married young women age 

15-24 in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 ................................................................. 27 

Figure 5.2 Unmet need for family planning among currently married and sexually active, 

unmarried women age 15-24 in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 ............................. 35 

Figure 6.1 Primary and secondary abstinence among young women and young men in selected 

countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 .............................................................................................. 43 

Figure 6.2 Rates of multiple partnerships and higher-risk sex in the past 12 months, 

among young women and young men in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 .............. 62 

Figure 6.3 Condom use at last higher-risk sex in the past 12 months, among young women 

and young men in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 .................................................. 63 

Figure 7.1 Knowledge that abstaining from sex, being faithful to one uninfected sexual 

partner, and using condoms can reduce the risk of HIV transmission among 

young women and young men in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 .......................... 77 

ix

Preface

One of the most significant contributions of the MEASURE DHS program is the creation of an 

internationally comparable body of data on the demographic and health characteristics of populations in 

developing countries. The DHS Comparative Reports series examines these data across countries in a 

comparative framework. The DHS Analytical Studies series focuses on specific topics. The principal 

objectives of both series are to provide information for policy formulation at the international level and to 

examine individual country results in an international context. Whereas Comparative Reports are 

primarily descriptive, Analytical Studies have a more analytical approach. 

The Comparative Reports series covers a variable number of countries, depending on the availability of data sets. Where possible, data from previous DHS surveys are used to evaluate trends over 

time. Each report provides detailed tables and graphs organized by region. Survey-related issues such as 

questionnaire comparability, survey procedures, data quality, and methodological approaches are addressed as needed. 

The topics covered in Comparative Reports are selected by MEASURE DHS staff in conjunction 

with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Some reports are updates of previously published 

reports.

It is anticipated that the availability of comparable information for a large number of developing 

countries will enhance the understanding of important issues in the fields of international population and 

health by analysts and policymakers. 

Ann Way 

Project Director 

xi

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Jenny Truong for her valuable comments, Noureddine 

Abderrahim for assistance in the preparation of data files, and Yuan Gu for research assistance.

xiii

Executive Summary 

The study provides information on key reproductive and sexual health indicators in young women 

and men age 15-24 in 38 developing countries. The data come from Demographic and Health Surveys 

(DHS) and AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS) conducted between 2001 and 2005. Indicators are selected for 

the following key areas: background characteristics; adolescent pregnancy; contraception; sexual activity; 

and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Additional analysis examines the association 

of various individual and household characteristics with the key indicators. 

The findings indicate that adolescent pregnancy is more common in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin 

America and the Caribbean than in South/Southeast Asia when considering surveys where all women are 

interviewed, regardless of marital status. Adolescent pregnancy is also more common in adolescents who 

live in a rural area, are less educated, or have limited exposure to the media. Pregnancy terminations 

among adolescents are rare. 

In all regions, knowledge of any method of contraception is high among young women and nearly 

universal among young men. However, knowledge of multiple methods is lower among young women 

and men in sub-Saharan Africa than their counterparts in other regions. Current use of modern 

contraception among married youth is lowest in sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, although sexually active, 

unmarried young women are more likely to use modern contraceptive methods, they also have higher 

levels of unmet need for contraception compared to currently married young women. 

More effort is needed to address the needs of young men, who are less likely to practice primary 

abstinence than young women. Primary abstinence is more common in South/Southeast Asia and North 

Africa/West Asia/Europe than in other regions. Primary abstinence among female and male youth is 

associated with being younger, having less education, lacking employment, and lacking media exposure. 

Secondary abstinence, however, is practiced by a much smaller proportion of youth and is more common 

in sub-Saharan Africa than in other regions. 

Regarding sexual behaviors, having multiple sexual partnerships and engaging in higher-risk sex 

are much more common in young men than young women. Programs need to reach the urban and more 

educated young men who are more likely to engage in multiple sexual partnerships and higher-risk sex. 

Reported condom use at last higher-risk sex is low in the majority of countries, with female youth being 

less likely to have used a condom at last higher-risk sex than male youth. 

Nearly all youth have heard of HIV/AIDS and are aware that abstaining from sex, being faithful 

to an uninfected, faithful partner, and using condoms can reduce the risk of HIV infection. However, 

young men are better informed about prevention than young women. Furthermore, although knowledge 

about HIV/AIDS is high, HIV-testing is rare among both sexes. Rates of sexually transmitted infections 

are higher among young women than young men. 

1

1 Introduction 

Young people undergo a period of development when biological, physical, cognitive, and social 

traits mature from childhood to adulthood. During this stage, the challenges that youth face and the 

decisions they make can have a tremendous impact on the quality and length of their lives. Many 

important life events and health-damaging behaviors start during the youth years. As a result, youth is a 

time of both risk and opportunity. 

Growing up in the 21st century has brought opportunities to youth in developing countries that 

their parents and earlier generations did not have; young people in the developing world spend more time 

in school, live in smaller households (due to the fertility transition), and have greater access to the mass 

media and more freedom of movement (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2005). 

Despite these advances, young people still face a myriad of both old and new social and health problems. 

Globally, an estimated 130 million youth are illiterate, 200 million live in poverty, and 10 million have 

HIV (United Nations, 2005). 

1.1 Youth, Adolescents, and Young People—Who Are They? 

The terms “youth,” “adolescents,” and “young people” are all used to describe people in the stage 

of life that marks the transition from childhood to adulthood. The World Health Organization defines 

“adolescents” as people age 10-19; “youth” as those age 15-24; and “young people” as those age 10-24 

(World Health Organization, 1989). Defining this stage by age has several advantages; chief among these 

is that indicators based on age can be compared across countries and cultures. However, the definitions 

are limited in that the transition to adulthood can continue well past age 24 years (Furstenburg et al., 

2002). Throughout this report, the World Health Organization’s definition of “youth,” as those age 15-24, 

is used. As the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS) surveys do 

not collect information from respondents younger than 15 years of age, the term “adolescents” is used in 

this report to refer to respondents age 15-19. 

1.2 Framework of the Study 

In this study, youth are described as individuals who are affected by and interact with a number of 

contextual factors at multiple levels. Youth operate at the individual level and interact with householdlevel factors within the confines of community characteristics (both local and at a broader level). These 

relationships are shown in Figure 1.1 (Adamchak et al., 2000). 
2

Partners

Households 

Communities 

Peers

Family

Institutions

Youth decisionmaking 

and reproductive 

health behaviors 

Reproductive health 

outcomes 

Individual 

Figure 1.1 Factors that influence youth reproductive health

1.3 Purpose of the Study 

The purpose of this study is to provide data on key reproductive and sexual health indicators for 

youth in 38 developing countries. A descriptive analysis is provided of background characteristics; 

adolescent pregnancy and motherhood; contraception; sexual activity; and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, 

attitudes, and behaviors. In addition, associations between these indicators and various individual and 

household characteristics are examined. 
3

2 Data and Methods 

2.1 Data 

The data used in this report come from the DHS and AIS surveys in 38 countries from 2001-05 

(see Table 2.1 for a list of these countries and the sample sizes for each survey). 

The DHS and AIS surveys collect data from nationally representative probability samples of 

households and from adult women and men in these households. The majority of these surveys uses a 

two-stage cluster sampling design and often oversample certain categories of respondents. As these 

samples are not self-weighting and response rates vary across sampling domains, sampling weights are 

applied to obtain nationally representative estimates. Estimates based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases 

are not shown in the tables in this report and estimates based on 25-49 unweighted cases are indicated in 

parentheses. Estimates based on small numbers of cases should be interpreted with caution. 

The DHS and AIS surveys follow standard procedures that aid in making cross-country 

comparisons of data, including the use of standard questionnaires and standard recode variables (Rutstein 

and Rojas, 2006). Tabulations are based on information from the household questionnaires and the 

women’s and men’s questionnaires. 

For this report, analysis is restricted to young women and men age 15-24 years. Survey sample 

sizes for young women range from 842 in Guyana to 13,248 in Colombia, and for young men from 364 in 

Nepal to 3,332 in Uganda. In some tables, the base sample is further restricted; for example, the analysis 

of primary abstinence in Table 6.1 is limited to never-married young women and men. 

In this report, the differences among levels of selected outcome variables (defined below) are 

analyzed by a set of individual characteristics, including urban-rural residence, educational status, marital 

status, work status (currently working or worked in past 12 months, or no), and level of exposure to mass 

media (listens to the radio, watches television, or reads a newspaper or magazine at least once a week). 

Differences among outcome variable levels are also analyzed by a set of household characteristics, 

including family type (nuclear or joint), presence of other youth in the household, female-headed 

household status, presence of adults in the household, and household wealth status (measured by an index 

based on ownership of household assets) (Rutstein and Johnson, 2004). 

Separate indicators are presented in the tables for each sex (where information is available) and 

the countries are divided into two panels. The first panel consists of countries whose surveys include all 

respondents (never-married, currently married, and formerly married) and the second (shaded in grey) 

consists of countries whose surveys include only ever-married respondents (currently married or formerly 

married). In this report, “all-women surveys” and “all-men surveys” are those that surveyed nevermarried, currently married, and formerly married respondents. The term “ever-married surveys” refers to 

surveys that include currently married and formerly married respondents only. 
4

Table 2.1 Summary of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS), 2001-05 

Country/year Type of survey 

Number of young women 

interviewed 

Number of young men 

interviewed 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 DHS 2,448 905 

Burkina Faso 2003 DHS 5,050 1,440 

Cameroon 2004 DHS 4,936 2,177 

Chad 2004 DHS 2,432 673 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 DHS 3,060 1,180 

Eritrea 2002 DHS 3,456 n/a 

Ethiopia 2005 DHS 5,813 2,399 

Ghana 2003 DHS 2,160 1,791 

Guinea 2005 DHS 2,800 1,146 

Kenya 2003 DHS 3,547 1,537 

Lesotho 2004 DHS 3,173 1,250 

Madagascar 2003 DHS 2,919 832 

Malawi 2004 DHS 5,262 1,237 

Mali 2001 DHS 4,904 1,131 

Mozambique 2003 DHS 4,910 1,076 

Nigeria 2003 DHS 3,210 880 

Rwanda 2005 DHS 4,938 2,048 

Senegal 2005 DHS 6,400 1,571 

Tanzania 2004 DHS 4,252 1,130 

Uganda 2004-05 AIS 4,119 3,332 

Zambia 2001 DHS 3,476 804 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 DHS 2,254 529 

Egypt 2005 DHS 3,772 n/a 

Jordan 2002 DHS 886 n/a 

Morocco 2003 DHS 6,306 n/a 

Moldova 2005 DHS 2,541 686 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 DHS 3,800 1,482 

Indonesia 2002-2003 DHS 4,832 437

Nepal 2001 DHS 2,599 364

Philippines 2003 DHS 4,856 1,702 

Vietnam 2005 AIS 2,471 2,406 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 DHS 7,007 2,160 

Colombia 2005 DHS 13,248 n/a 

Dominican Republic 2002 DHS 8,698 1,020 

Guyana 2005 AIS 842 658 

Honduras 2005 DHS 8,239 n/a 

Nicaragua 2001 DHS 5,546 n/a

Peru 2004-05 DHS 4,241 n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes 

currently married men only. 

n/a = not available 
5

2.2 Definition of Variables 

In this section, several key terms and outcome variables used in this report are defined. For the 

most part, the standard DHS definitions used in the final survey reports are used. 

Currently married. Respondents who are currently married are either in a formal marital union or living 

with someone as if married (cohabiting). 

Sexually active. Respondents who report having sex in the four weeks preceding the survey are 

considered sexually active. 

Ever pregnant. Ever-pregnant respondents are those who have ever given birth; are currently pregnant 

with their first child; or have had a pregnancy that terminated in a miscarriage, abortion, or stillbirth. 

Contraceptive knowledge. A respondent has knowledge of a particular contraceptive method if she or he 

has ever heard of the method. Knowledge of a method, however, does not measure a respondent’s depth 

of knowledge. 

Ever use of contraception. The surveys ask women who know of a particular method of contraception if 

they have ever used that method. For female sterilization, the surveys ask if the women have ever had an 

operation to avoid having any (more) children. For male sterilization, the surveys ask women if their 

partner has ever had an operation to avoid having any (more) children. 

Current use of contraception. The surveys ask women if they are currently doing something or using a 

method (at or about the time of the survey) to delay or avoid becoming pregnant. Women using any of the 

following methods are defined as current users of modern methods: female sterilization, male 

sterilization, pill, intrauterine device (IUD), injectables, implants (such as Norplant), female condom, 

male condom, lactational amenorrhea method (LAM), emergency contraception, diaphragm, and foam or 

jelly. 

Unmet need for family planning. Women have an unmet need for family planning if they are not 

currently using a method of contraception and want to stop (further) childbearing. Women with an unmet 

need for family planning include those with an unmet need for spacing (not currently using a method of 

contraception and want to delay the next birth by at least two years) and women with an unmet need for 

limiting (not currently using a method of contraception and want to stop childbearing). 

Primary abstinence. A respondent is practicing primary abstinence if she or he has never had sex. This 

is defined only for never-married youth. 

Secondary abstinence. A respondent is practicing secondary abstinence if she or he has ever had sex but 

has not engaged in intercourse in the past 12 months. Similar to primary abstinence, this is defined only 

for never-married youth. 

Multiple sexual partners. A respondent has multiple sexual partners if she or he has sex with two or 

more partners in the 12 months preceding the survey. The denominator for this indicator is the number of 

youth who had sex in the past 12 months. 

Higher-risk sex. A respondent has higher-risk sex if she or he has sex with a nonspousal, noncohabiting 

partner in the 12 months preceding the survey. The definition therefore includes extramarital sex and any 

sex by unmarried youth. The denominator for this indicator is the number of youth who had sex in the 

past 12 months. 
6

Age mixing in sexual relationships. Young women age 15-19 engage in age mixing in sexual 

relationships if they have higher-risk sex in the 12 months preceding the survey with a man who is 10 or 

more years older than them. 

Ever tested for HIV. This indicator applies to respondents who report that they have ever been tested for 

HIV. 

Recently tested for HIV and received results. This indicator refers to respondents who have been tested 

and received results for an HIV test in the past 12 months. The denominator is the number of respondents 

who had sex in the past 12 months. 

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) or STI symptoms. This indicator applies to respondents who have 

ever had sex and who report having an STI or having specific symptoms of an STI (abnormal genital 

discharge or genital sore or ulcer) in the 12 months preceding the survey. 

2.3 Data Limitations 

There are several considerations that should be kept in mind when interpreting the results 

presented in this report. Response rates for the questionnaires are high. However, differential nonresponse 

at the question level could bias indicators to differing extents. Also, there are known biases in reporting 

sexual behaviors; young men overreport some sexual behaviors (Smith, 1992) and underreport others 

(Smith, 1992; Mensch et al., 2003), whereas young women underreport sexual experiences 

(Buvé et al., 2001). 

Comparable indicators are produced across countries for women and men. However the study is 

limited by a lack of information from some surveys, particularly those conducted in men and in 

South/Southeast Asia, that collect data on fewer sexual behavior indicators. 
7

3 Characteristics of Young Women and Men 

3.1 Individual Characteristics 

Age, Residence, and Years in Place of Residence

Table 3.1 shows the percentage distribution of youth surveyed by sex, age, urban-rural residence, 

and number of years in current place of residence. Except in countries with ever-married samples, most 

samples have somewhat larger proportions of youth age 15-19 than age 20-24. In sub-Saharan Africa and 

South/Southeast Asia, samples are primarily rural, whereas samples in Latin America and the Caribbean 

and in North Africa/West Asia/Europe tend to be primarily urban. However, substantial intraregional 

differences exist; for example, in sub-Saharan Africa, 82 percent of the respondents from Rwanda and 

Uganda live in a rural area compared with 42-46 percent in Cameroon, Congo, and Ghana. Although the 

majority of youth have lived in their current place of residence for 3 or more years, youth in sub-Saharan 

Africa are generally more mobile than in other regions, and female youth are generally more mobile than 

male youth. This is reflected in the greater proportions of female youth than male youth who have lived in 

their current place of residence for less than 3 years. 
Table 3.1 Background characteristics of respondents: age, residence, and years in place of current residence 

Percent distribution of young women and young men, by age, residence, and number of years in current residence, DHS/AIS 2001-05 Young women Young men 

Age Residence

 Number of years in 

current residence Age Residence

 Number of years in 

current residence 

Country/year 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural <3 3-10 >10 Total 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural <3 3-10 >10 Total Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 50 50 45 55 27 24 49 2,448 55 45 45 55 15 19 65 905 Burkina Faso 2003 55 45 27 73 21 29 50 5,050 61 39 45 55 11 14 75 1,440 Cameroon 2004 54 46 58 42 27 26 47 4,936 56 44 61 39 26 25 49 2,177 Chad 2004 56 44 24 76 n/a n/a n/a 2,432 60 40 31 69 n/a n/a n/a 673 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 51 49 58 42 17 19 64 3,060 57 43 61 39 n/a n/a n/a 1,180 Eritrea 2002 58 42 45 55 13 26 61 3,456 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Ethiopia 2005 56 44 21 79 12 16 72 5,813 56 44 18 82 6 7 87 2,399 Ghana 2003 53 47 54 46 25 28 46 2,160 62 38 48 52 16 26 57 1,791 Guinea 2005 59 41 39 61 12 19 69 2,800 58 42 50 50 10 19 71 1,146 Kenya 2003 52 48 26 74 34 23 43 3,547 56 44 23 77 19 18 63 1,537 Lesotho 2004 54 46 21 79 18 13 69 3,173 59 41 17 83 9 8 84 1,250 Madagascar 2003 52 48 26 75 17 21 62 2,919 50 50 24 76 9 12 78 832 Malawi 2004 45 55 20 80 32 23 46 5,262 53 47 22 78 23 21 56 1,237 Mali 2001 52 48 37 63 21 29 50 4,904 59 41 40 60 21 18 61 1,131 Mozambique 2003 50 50 43 57 15 21 64 4,910 63 37 54 46 12 20 68 1,076 Nigeria 2003 53 47 34 66 19 20 61 3,210 52 48 40 60 10 15 74 880 Rwanda 2005 52 48 18 82 21 20 59 4,938 54 46 17 83 13 15 72 2,048 Senegal 2005 56 44 49 51 18 22 60 6,400 59 41 58 42 16 18 66 1,571 Tanzania 2004 53 47 30 70 28 20 53 4,252 56 44 28 72 18 17 65 1,130 Uganda 2004-05 53 47 18 82 38 31 31 4,119 62 38 16 84 23 21 56 3,332 Zambia 2001 52 48 42 58 38 29 33 3,476 57 43 41 59 25 26 49 804 

North Africa/West Asia/ Europe 

Armenia 2005 50 50 64 36 10 11 79 2,254 55 45 59 41 5 6 88 529 Egypt 2005 21 79 30 70 19 11 70 3,772 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Jordan 2002 18 82 79 21 29 18 53 886 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Morocco 2003 52 48 58 42 14 16 71 6,306 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Moldova 2005 56 44 43 57 14 11 75 2,541 60 40 45 55 10 10 80 686 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 42 58 21 79 36 45 19 3,800 55 45 24 76 8 8 84 1,482 

Indonesia 2002-2003a 20 80 39 61 n/a n/a n/a 4,832 3 97 39 61 n/a n/a n/a 437

Nepal 2001 36 64 8 92 43 44 13 2,599 19 81 6 94 8 11 81 364Philippines 2003 55 45 61 39 25 20 55 4,856 54 46 55 45 11 18 72 1,702 Vietnam 2005 55 45 22 79 16 12 72 2,471 61 39 19 81 11 8 81 2,406 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 55 45 71 29 14 22 64 7,007 56 44 70 30 11 19 69 2,160 Colombia 2005 52 48 77 23 15 17 67 13,248 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Dominican Republic 2002 52 48 69 31 17 19 65 8,698 54 46 64 37 10 16 74 1,020 Guyana 2004 54 46 29 71 25 26 49 842 59 41 32 68 14 24 62 658 Honduras 2005 55 45 54 46 17 17 66 8,239 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Nicaragua 2001 57 43 62 38 12 15 74 5,546 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Peru 2004-05 54 46 72 28 13 17 70 4,241 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently married men only. n/a = not available 
9

Education and Media Exposure 

The majority of youth have some form of education (either primary or higher) (Table 3.2), except 

in seven countries. Young men are generally more educated than young women. There are substantial 

variations by sex, country, and region. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, the percentage of female 

youth with no education ranges from 76 percent in Mali to 1 percent in Lesotho; for male youth, the 

percentage ranges from 57 percent in Mali to 1 percent in Congo. Education levels are generally higher in 

Latin America and the Caribbean and parts of North Africa/West Asia/Europe than in South/Southeast 

Asia; levels are lowest in sub-Saharan Africa. 

In countries with data on media exposure, more than half the youth are exposed to at least one 

source of media on a weekly basis, with the exceptions of Ethiopia, where 74 percent of female youth and 

62 percent of male youth are not regularly exposed to any media source, and Chad, where 74 percent of 

female youth have no weekly media exposure. In sub-Saharan Africa, levels of exposure to two or more 

media sources are lower than levels of exposure to one media source. Where comparable data are 

available, young men are generally exposed to more media sources than young women. Again, there are 

inter- and intraregional differences in the numbers of mass media sources to which youth are exposed, 

with youth in sub-Saharan African countries having exposure to fewer media sources than youth in other 

regions.
Table 3.2 Background characteristics of respondents: education and media exposure 

Percent distribution of young women and young men by education and regular exposure to media sources on a weekly basis, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Young women Young men 

 Education 

Number of 

media sources 

exposed to: Education 

Number of 

media sources 

exposed to: 

Country/year None 

Primary Secon- dary+ 0 1 2+ Total None Pri- mary Secon- dary+ 0 1 2+ Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 56 25 18 32 44 24 2,448 28 33 39 13 47 41 905 Burkina Faso 2003 70 16 13 41 35 24 5,050 54 24 22 25 42 32 1,440 Cameroon 2004 16 37 47 39 26 36 4,936 6 36 58 19 27 53 2,177 Chad 2004 66 24 11 74 19 7 2,432 38 35 27 45 35 21 673 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 5 35 60 36 33 31 3,060 1 32 66 22 34 44 1,180 Eritrea 2002 30 42 28 19 34 47 3,456 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Ethiopia 2005 49 34 17 74 18 8 5,813 26 47 26 62 25 13 2,399 Ghana 2003 16 22 62 18 32 50 2,160 9 22 68 9 33 58 1,791 Guinea 2005 62 19 19 45 35 20 2,800 31 22 47 26 37 37 1,146 Kenya 2003 7 65 28 20 42 38 3,547 4 65 32 8 39 53 1,537 Lesotho 2004 1 56 43 44 36 20 3,173 8 62 31 41 35 24 1,250 Madagascar 2003 21 49 30 37 33 29 2,919 21 49 29 34 40 26 832 Malawi 2004 9 69 22 29 53 17 5,262 5 66 29 14 49 37 1,237 Mali 2001 76 12 12 29 37 34 4,904 57 17 26 17 33 49 1,131 Mozambique 2003 30 58 12 47 36 17 4,910 9 69 22 18 48 35 1,076 Nigeria 2003 31 20 49 32 31 37 3,210 11 22 66 15 31 55 880 Rwanda 2005 13 78 9 40 48 12 4,938 10 81 10 18 65 16 2,048 Senegal 2005 52 30 18 11 30 59 6,400 33 32 35 42 10 49 1,571 Tanzania 2004 22 67 11 32 40 29 4,252 11 78 11 18 40 42 1,130 Uganda 2004-05 11 61 28 24 54 22 4,119 3 60 37 10 53 37 3,332 Zambia 2001 10 56 34 49 26 25 3,476 4 55 41 32 31 37 804 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 0 0 100 1 29 70 2,254 0 0 99 1 48 52 529 Egypt 2005 28 12 60 3 28 69 3,772 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Jordan 2002 1 8 91 11 39 51 886 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Morocco 2003 34 24 42 11 36 53 6,306 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Moldova 2005 0 0 100 2 12 86 2,541 0 1 99 2 12 86 686 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 22 31 47 33 36 32 3,800 13 35 52 8 20 71 1,482 

Indonesia 2002-2003 2 50 49 16 42 42 4,832 1 45 54 11 33 57 437 

Nepal 2001a 57 21 22 49 32 19 2,599 14 39 47 23 36 41 364 Philippines 2003 1 14 86 6 16 79 4,856 1 23 76 5 13 82 1,702 

Vietnam 2005 3 16 81 7 41 52 2,471 2 14 85 4 38 58 2,406 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 1 37 62 6 18 76 7,007 0 31 69 4 16 80 2,160 Colombia 2005 1 16 83 n/a n/a n/a 13,248 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Dominican Republic 2002 2 39 59 2 10 88 8,698 4 48 49 5 14 81 1,020 Guyana 2004 0 9 91 6 13 81 842 0 8 91 5 14 81 658 Honduras 2005 3 52 45 3 25 72 8,239 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Nicaragua 2001 8 38 53 6 22 73 5,546 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Peru 2004-05 1 15 84 11 29 60 4,241 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently married men only. n/a = not available 

a For Nepal media exposure is defined as daily radio, exposure to television and newspapers at least weekly 
11

Marital Status of Young Women and Men 

Outside of sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of young women in the study are never married; 

never-married rates range from 53 percent in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua to 76 percent in 

Morocco (Table 3.3). A majority of young women in sub-Saharan Africa are never married in only 12 of 

the region’s 21 countries. In all countries, only small percentages of young women are widowed, 

divorced, or separated; rates range from 1 percent in Armenia, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Nepal, the 

Philippines, and Vietnam to 11 percent in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. 

In contrast to young women, a large majority of young men in all countries with data on marital 

status are never married. The percentage of never-married young men ranges from 75 percent in 

Madagascar to 92 percent in Nigeria. In surveys in which all men are interviewed, regardless of marital 

status, the percentage of currently married young men is much lower than the percentage of currently 

married young women; the percentage of currently married young men ranges from 7 percent in Nigeria 

to 22 percent in Madagascar and Malawi. As with young women, only a small proportion of young men 

are formerly married. In most countries, the proportions of formerly married young men are smaller than 

of formerly married young women. 

Marriage by Age 15 

Among young women, the percentage who were married by age 15 is lowest in Armenia and 

Vietnam (less than 1 percent), followed by Moldova, the Philippines, and Rwanda (1 percent 

respectively); the rate is highest in Bangladesh (49 percent). The percentage of young women married by 

age 15 is 10 percent or higher in 15 of the 38 countries. Large intraregional variations exist in the 

percentages of young women married by age 15. However, young men in the 38 countries are rarely 

married by age 15. 
Table 3.3 Background characteristics of respondents: marital status 

Percent distribution of young women and young men by marital status and percent of young women and ever-married men who are married by age 15, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Young women Young men 

Marital status Married by Marital status Married by 

Country/year Never Currently Formerly Total age 15 Never Currently Formerly Total age 15 Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 51 47 2 2,448 6 88 11 1 905 0 Burkina Faso 2003 44 54 1 5,050 5 88 11 1 1,440 0 Cameroon 2004 47 48 5 4,936 14 81 13 6 2,177 2 Chad 2004 35 61 4 2,432 25 84 14 2 673 1 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 57 36 7 3,060 5 87 9 4 1,180 0 Eritrea 2002 51 44 4 3,456 13 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Ethiopia 2005 54 39 6 5,813 18 87 12 1 2,399 0 Ghana 2003 66 31 4 2,160 4 90 8 2 1,791 0 Guinea 2005 45 53 3 2,800 15 86 10 5 1,146 0 Kenya 2003 59 37 4 3,547 4 90 9 1 1,537 0 Lesotho 2004 63 34 4 3,173 2 91 8 1 1,250 0 Madagascar 2003 48 44 8 2,919 9 75 22 3 832 1 Malawi 2004 36 58 6 5,262 9 76 22 2 1,237 0 Mali 2001 33 65 3 4,904 22 90 8 2 1,131 1 Mozambique 2003 36 55 9 4,910 16 77 21 2 1,076 1 Nigeria 2003 52 45 2 3,210 17 92 7 1 880 1 Rwanda 2005 76 21 3 4,938 1 91 9 0 2,048 0 Senegal 2005 53 45 2 6,400 10 84 12 4 1,571 1 Tanzania 2004 49 47 4 4,252 5 84 14 2 1,130 0 Uganda 2004-05 50 44 7 4,119 11 83 13 3 3,332 1 Zambia 2001 50 44 6 3,476 6 86 12 2 804 0 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 74 26 1 2,254 0 91 9 0 529 0 Egypt 2005 - 98 2 3,772 6 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Jordan 2002 - 98 2 886 4 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Morocco 2003 76 23 1 6,306 2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Moldova 2005 67 30 3 2,541 1 89 10 1 686 0 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 - 96 4 3,800 49 83 17 0 1,482 0 

Indonesia 2002-2003 - 97 3 4,832 10 - 100 - 437 0

Nepal 2001 - 99 1 2,599 19 - 98 2 364 5Philippines 2003 72 27 1 4,856 1 86 13 1 1,702 0 Vietnam 2005 75 25 1 2,471 0 90 10 0 2,406 0 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 67 29 4 7,007 3 79 17 3 2,160 1 Colombia 2005 66 28 7 13,248 4 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Dominican Republic 2002 53 37 11 8,698 11 83 13 5 1,020 0 Guyana 2004 65 31 4 842 4 88 10 2 658 0 Honduras 2005 57 36 8 8,239 9 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Nicaragua 2001 53 37 11 5,546 11 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Peru 2004-05 74 22 4 4,241 2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently married men only. n/a = not available; - = no cases 
13

Work Status of Young Women and Men 

Table 3.4 shows the percentage of young women and men who are currently working. Among 

young women (considering all-women surveys), a majority of young women are currently working in 

only 15 of the 33 countries; most of these women earn cash or a combination of cash and in-kind 

payments. However, substantial proportions of young women work but are not paid in cash or in kind. In 

16 countries (based on all-women surveys), at least 20 percent of young women are not currently paid for 

their labor. The countries with the highest percentages of unpaid young working women are Malawi (69 

percent), Tanzania (65 percent), Rwanda (58 percent), Burkina Faso (56 percent), and Ethiopia (53 

percent).

In surveys of ever-married samples only, the vast majority of young women in Bangladesh and 

Nepal are currently working, whereas smaller proportions are working in Indonesia and Egypt. In Nepal, 

three of four working young women are not paid for their work. This proportion is also substantial (39 

percent) in Indonesia and Egypt. 

In 18 of the 28 countries with all-men samples, more than half the young men are currently 

working. Like young women, most young men who work are either paid in cash or a combination of cash 

and in-kind payments. The percentage of young men who are not paid for work ranges from 6 percent in 

the Dominican Republic and Moldova to more than 50 percent in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Mali; 

substantial proportions of young men in many other countries also receive no pay for their work (see 

Table 3.4 for details). 
Table 3.4 Background characteristics of respondents: work status 

Percent distribution of young women and young men by current work status, and among those who worked in the past 12 months, type of earnings, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Young women Young men 

Among those who worked in Among those who worked in 

past 12 months, type of earnings the past 12 months, type of earnings 

 Country/year 

Currently working 

 Not paid Cash 

Cash

and

kind

In kind 

only 

 Currently working 

 Not paid Cash 

Cash

and

kind

In kind 

only Yes Total Yes Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 69 2,448 18 52 25 6 56 905 26 26 38 10 Burkina Faso 2003 79 5,050 56 22 4 19 70 1,440 55 24 13 9 Cameroon 2004 44 4,936 18 43 23 16 48 2,177 n/a n/a n/a n/a Chad 2004 72 2,432 18 20 27 34 77 673 n/a n/a n/a n/a Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 43 3,060 10 54 32 5 37 1,180 14 72 13 2 Eritrea 2002 17 3,456 21 65 3 11 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Ethiopia 2005 31 5,813 53 38 3 6 73 2,399 65 17 5 13 Ghana 2003 53 2,160 19 50 22 10 46 1,791 18 46 24 11 Guinea 2005 65 2,800 20 45 23 12 44 1,146 35 33 23 9 Kenya 2003 45 3,547 21 55 16 8 51 1,537 18 70 8 4 Lesotho 2004 29 3,173 36 60 1 4 29 1,250 33 46 2 19 Madagascar 2003 67 2,919 9 25 33 33 70 832 12 26 39 22 Malawi 2004 49 5,262 69 22 5 4 52 1,237 35 51 9 5 Mali 2001 56 4,904 24 60 10 6 76 1,131 66 24 4 7 Mozambique 2003 62 4,910 47 17 7 29 45 1,076 33 50 7 10 Nigeria 2003 38 3,210 19 70 7 5 42 880 36 48 9 7 Rwanda 2005 61 4,938 58 18 14 10 46 2,048 23 51 25 2 Senegal 2005 32 6,400 27 63 6 4 55 1,571 30 62 7 2 Tanzania 2004 71 4,252 65 23 5 7 64 1,130 40 34 21 5 Uganda 2004-05 53 4,119 n/a n/a n/a n/a 51 3,332 n/a n/a n/a n/a Zambia 2001 44 3,476 44 43 11 2 52 804 39 42 10 8 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 12 2,254 12 86 2 0 34 529 7 75 6 12 Egypt 2005 10 3,772 39 56 2 3 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Morocco 2003 17 6,306 24 69 3 5 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Moldova 2005 29 2,541 8 84 5 3 37 686 6 80 11 3 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 86 3,800 6 80 9 5 72 1,482 15 66 6 14 Indonesia 2002-2003 35 4,832 39 54 4 3 97 437 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Nepal 2001 75 2,599 75 8 4 13 95 364 43 39 5 13

Philippines 2003 37 4,856 8 78 13 1 54 1,702 8 75 14 3 Vietnam 2005 60 2,471 n/a n/a n/a n/a 57 2,406 n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 55 7,007 26 64 6 4 67 2,160 16 75 6 3 Colombia 2005 51 13,248 4 88 6 2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Dominican Republic 2002 37 8,698 3 93 2 2 76 1,020 6 90 2 2 Guyana 2004 36 842 n/a n/a n/a n/a 67 658 n/a n/a n/a n/a Honduras 2005 42 8,239 10 80 8 2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Nicaragua 2001 34 5,546 11 84 2 3 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Peru 2004-05 62 4,241 30 58 11 1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

 Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently married men only. 

 n/a = not available 
15

3.2 Household Characteristics 

Household size and the percentage of youth that live in a household with another young 

person are expected to be a reflection of a country’s total fertility, with higher fertility countries 

having larger household sizes and more young people living in each household. 

Household Size 

The majority of young women and men live with four or more people (Tables 3.5 and 

3.6). Sub-Saharan African countries, in general, have larger households than countries in other 

regions. The majority of young women in 5 of 21 sub-Saharan African countries with data on 

young women and of young men in 12 of 20 countries with data on young men live in a 

household with seven or more people. In most countries included in this analysis, young men 

are more likely than young women to live in a household with seven or more people. 

Family Type 

In 22 of the 33 countries with all-women surveys, young women are more likely to live 

in a joint family than a nuclear family. Among the ever-married samples in South/Southeast 

Asia, young women are also more likely to live in a joint family. However, in Egypt and Jordan, 

young women are more likely to live in a nuclear family. In most countries with data on family 

type, young men are also more likely to live in a joint family than a nuclear family. 

Other Youth in the Household 

In all countries, the vast majority of young women and men live in a household with 

another young person. 
Table 3.5 Household characteristics of young women 

Percent distribution of young women by household size, and family type, and the percentage who live with other young persons in the household, percentage who live with a female head of household, and percentage who live without adults (age 25+) in the household, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

 Household size Family type 

Other young 

person in 

household

Femaleheaded

household

No adult in 

household Country/year <4 4-6 7+ Nuclear Joint Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 20 33 48 41 59 94 21 6 2,448 Burkina Faso 2003 17 24 59 44 56 95 9 7 5,050 Cameroon 2004 18 31 51 32 68 93 24 9 4,936 Chad 2004 23 33 44 56 44 94 16 12 2,432 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 14 33 53 24 76 95 26 5 3,060 Eritrea 2002 25 39 36 56 44 88 45 6 3,456 Ethiopia 2005 22 43 35 53 47 93 22 10 5,813 Ghana 2003 24 41 35 42 58 91 40 10 2,160 Guinea 2005 13 30 57 37 63 95 16 2 2,800 Kenya 2003 22 43 35 42 58 93 33 12 3,547 Lesotho 2004 17 41 42 17 83 94 38 7 3,173 Madagascar 2003 27 42 31 52 48 94 19 18 2,919 Malawi 2004 32 42 26 51 49 95 22 22 5,262 Mali 2001 26 32 42 59 41 91 11 8 4,904 Mozambique 2003 20 38 42 37 63 95 25 15 4,910 Nigeria 2003 23 33 44 53 47 90 16 6 3,210 Rwanda 2005 22 45 33 53 47 94 36 12 4,938 Senegal 2005 3 13 84 17 83 99 25 1 6,400 Tanzania 2004 20 36 45 37 63 94 21 9 4,252 Uganda 2004-05 14 38 47 36 64 96 30 13 4,119 Zambia 2001 17 40 43 35 65 96 21 10 3,476 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 19 67 14 49 52 86 31 3 2,254 Egypt 2005 35 31 34 52 48 88 6 7 3,772 

Jordan 2002 35 39 26 63 37 89 7 9 886

Morocco 2003 8 38 53 49 51 93 15 2 6,306 Moldova 2005 40 55 6 61 39 76 30 10 2,541 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 21 44 35 36 64 94 7 5 3,800 

Indonesia 2002-2003 30 45 26 38 62 95 7 8 4,832 Nepal 2001 15 39 46 21 79 97 12 11 2,599 Philippines 2003 15 48 38 46 54 92 16 8 4,856 Vietnam 2005 13 62 26 52 48 92 23 2 2,471 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 22 47 32 56 44 92 21 14 7,007 Colombia 2005 22 52 26 43 57 89 31 8 13,248 Dominican Republic 2002 25 51 24 46 54 90 30 12 8,698 Guyana 2004 17 51 31 43 57 90 40 6 842 Honduras 2005 18 43 39 40 60 96 28 12 8,239 Nicaragua 2001 12 41 47 36 64 96 35 8 5,546 Peru 2004-05 15 52 33 45 55 91 23 6 4,241 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. 
Table 3.6 Household characteristics of young men 

Percent distribution of young men by household size, and family type, and the percentage who live with other young persons in the household, percentage who live with a female head of household, and percentage who live without adults (age 25+) in the household, DHS/AIS 2001-05  Household size Family type 

Other young 

person in 

household

Femaleheaded 

household

No adults in 

household Total Country/year <4 4-6 7+ Nuclear Joint 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 0 25 56 43 57 89 17 16 905 Burkina Faso 2003 12 18 69 40 60 94 6 11 1,440 Cameroon 2004 25 25 50 27 73 86 19 14 2,177 Chad 2004 18 28 55 46 54 93 11 15 673 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 11 25 63 22 78 95 23 8 1,180 Ethiopia 2005 16 40 44 51 49 94 20 13 2,399 Ghana 2003 24 36 40 48 52 85 27 15 1,791 Guinea 2005 9 19 72 31 69 97 15 4 1,146 Kenya 2003 24 39 37 47 53 87 30 16 1,537 Lesotho 2004 14 43 42 16 84 91 35 7 1,250 Madagascar 2003 24 39 36 51 49 92 16 19 832 Malawi 2004 29 37 34 42 58 91 19 27 1,237 Mali 2001 12 18 70 47 53 93 8 8 1,131 Mozambique 2003 17 30 53 33 67 94 21 16 1,076 Nigeria 2003 20 32 48 47 53 88 16 12 880 Rwanda 2005 22 42 36 53 47 92 38 16 2,048 Senegal 2005 4 10 86 19 81 98 22 2 1,571 Tanzania 2004 15 34 50 34 66 92 21 10 1,130 Uganda 2004-05 17 29 54 33 67 91 26 17 3,332 Zambia 2001 15 32 53 31 69 94 18 14 804 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 24 67 9 53 47 83 30 6 529 Moldova 2005 41 57 3 66 34 70 27 10 686 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 12 44 44 38 62 91 8 3 1,482 Indonesia 2002-2003 21 47 32 23 77 99 8 23 437

Nepal 2001 14 35 51 18 82 97 7 17 364Philippines 2003 12 48 40 53 47 92 16 7 1,702 Vietnam 2005 15 64 21 61 39 87 21 2 2,406 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 25 41 33 56 44 88 19 19 2,160 Dominican Republic 2002 25 52 23 49 51 85 24 14 1,020 Guyana 2004 20 54 25 48 52 85 37 6 658 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married men only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently married men only. 
18

Female-Headed Households 

Tables 3.5 and 3.6 also show the percentage of young women and men who live in a femaleheaded household. For young women (based on all-women surveys), this indicator ranges from 9 percent 

in Burkina Faso to 45 percent in Eritrea. In 9 of the 38 countries, more than 30 percent of young women 

live in a female-headed household. Thus, a majority of the young women live with a male head of 

household. Young women in the ever-married samples are less likely to live in a female-headed 

household than those in all-women samples. 

Like young women, young men are more likely to live in a male-headed household. Ever-married 

male samples are similar to all-women and all-men samples in that young men in ever-married samples 

tend to live in male-headed households rather than female-headed households. 

No clear regional patterns exist in the proportions of youth living in a female-headed household. 

Households With No Adults 

The percentages of youth who live in a household without any person over age 24 years (an adult) 

are shown in Table 3.5 for females and Table 3.6 for males. In general, the vast majority of youth live in a 

household with an adult. However, 15 percent or more of young women in 2 of 38 countries and 15 

percent or more of young men in 10 of 30 countries live in a household without an adult. Young men are 

somewhat more likely than young women to live in a household without an adult. 
19

4 Adolescent Motherhood, Pregnancy, and Pregnancy 

Terminations 

The social and health consequences of pregnancies among young women are well known. Both 

adolescent and young adult mothers and their offspring are known to suffer negative health outcomes. For 

example, young mothers are more prone to anemia (Berenson et al., 1997) and postnatal depression than 

older mothers (Schmidt et al., 2006), and their offspring may be at higher risk for preterm delivery 

(Magadi, 2006) and higher rates of morbidity and mortality (Zabin and Kiragu, 1998). In this section, the 

prevalence of pregnancy is examined among adolescents age 15-19. This is followed by a discussion of 

the social context in which pregnancy occurs, including an examination of the differentials in adolescent 

pregnancy by individual and household characteristics. 

4.1 Levels of Adolescent Pregnancy 

Table 4.1 shows the percentage distribution of adolescents age 15-19 who have ever been 

pregnant by pregnancy experience. Among countries with all-women samples, ever-pregnancy rates range 

from a low of 4 percent in Rwanda and Vietnam to a high of 42 percent in Mali and 43 percent in 

Mozambique. Countries in South/Southeast Asia and in North Africa/West Asia/Europe have lower everpregnant rates than those in sub-Saharan Africa and in Latin America and the Caribbean. This finding is 

shown in Figure 4.1 (data for selected countries are shown). In sub-Saharan Africa and South/Southeast 

Asia (based on all-women surveys), more than 20 percent of adolescents in 16 of the 23 countries have 

ever been pregnant. 

Figure 4.1 Percentage of adolescents age 15-19 who have ever been pregnant in selected 

countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

42 43

6 7

4

8

25 25

Mali

2001

Mozambique 

2003

Moldova

2005

Morocco

2003

Vietnam

2005

Philippines

2003

Dominican 

Republic

2002

Nicaragua

2001

Latin America/ 

Caribbean 

Sub-Saharan 

Africa

North Africa/West 

Asia/Europe

South/Southeast 

Asia 
20

Table 4.1 Adolescent motherhood, pregnancy, and pregnancy terminations 

Percentage distribution of adolescents age 15-19, by pregnancy experience, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

 Ever pregnant 

Country/year 

Never

pregnant 

Ever given 

birth

Currently pregnant 

with first child 

Ever had a 

termination 

Total ever 

pregnant Number 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 77 15 6 1 23 1,233 

Burkina Faso 2003 76 17 6 1 24 2,776 

Cameroon 2004 70 23 6 2 30 2,684 

Chad 2004 63 30 6 1 37 1,360 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 68 21 6 4 32 1,566 

Eritrea 2002 86 11 3 0 14 2,001 

Ethiopia 2005 83 14 3 0 17 3,266 

Ghana 2003 84 10 4 2 16 1,148 

Guinea 2005 67 26 6 2 33 1,648 

Kenya 2003 76 18 5 1 24 1,856 

Lesotho 2004 79 15 5 0 21 1,710 

Madagascar 2003 64 28 6 2 36 1,528 

Malawi 2004 65 25 9 1 35 2,392 

Mali 2001 58 34 7 1 42 2,565 

Mozambique 2003 57 34 7 2 43 2,454 

Nigeria 2003 73 21 4 1 27 1,716 

Rwanda 2005 96 3 1 0 4 2,585 

Senegal 2005 80 15 4 1 20 3,556 

Tanzania 2004 72 20 6 2 28 2,245 

Uganda 2004-05 74 21 5 n/a 26 2,186 

Zambia 2001 67 26 6 2 33 1,811 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 95 2 2 n/a 5 1,123 

Egypt 2005 21 47 29 3 79 803

Jordan 2002 27 49 20 3 73 158

Morocco 2003 93 4 2 0 7 3,295 

Moldova 2005 94 5 1 n/a 6 1,417 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 28 58 10 3 72 1,598 

Indonesia 2002-2003 27 57 14 2 73 956

Nepal 2001 44 40 13 3 56 941

Philippines 2003 92 6 2 0 8 2,648 

Vietnam 2005 96 3 1 n/a 4 1,359 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 84 13 3 1 16 3,874 

Colombia 2005 78 16 4 2 22 6,902 

Dominican Republic 2002 75 19 4 2 25 4,550 

Guyana 2004 86 11 3 n/a 14 456 

Honduras 2005 78 17 4 1 22 4,510 

Nicaragua 2001 75 21 4 1 25 3,141 

Peru 2004-05 87 11 2 1 13 2,283 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. 

n/a = not available 
21

Among adolescents age 15-19, pregnancy terminations (nonlive births) are rare events. In all 

countries, pregnancy terminations are less than five percent. 

Current pregnancy rates are lower than 10 percent in all countries with all-women samples. 

As expected, in countries with ever-married samples, ever-pregnancy rates are higher than in 

countries with all-women samples. Ever-pregnancy rates are 72-79 percent in Bangladesh, Egypt, 

Indonesia, and Jordan, and 56 percent in Nepal. 

4.2 Differentials in Ever Being Pregnant 

Individual Characteristics 

Rural adolescents age 15-19 are more likely to have ever been pregnant than their urban 

counterparts (in all-women surveys) (Table 4.2), except in Guyana, Kenya, and Rwanda, where rates in 

rural and urban residents are similar. The ever-pregnancy rate is highest among uneducated adolescents, 

and declines as education increases. As expected, adolescents age 15-19 who are currently married are 

most likely to have ever been pregnant. However, in Congo, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Zambia, 12-

19 percent of never-married adolescents age 15-19 have been pregnant. In the majority of countries, those 

who are currently working are more likely to have ever been pregnant, although this pattern is reversed in 

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Honduras, and Morocco. Respondents who have regular exposure to two or more mass 

media sources are less likely to have ever been pregnant. An exception is Guyana, where media exposure 

is weakly associated with ever being pregnant. 

In countries with ever-married samples, ever being pregnant among adolescents age 15-19 is 

positively associated with urban residence. Other differentials show no clear overall pattern. 
Table 4.2 Differentials in ever being pregnant, by individual characteristics 

Percentage of adolescents age 15-19 who have ever been pregnant, by selected individual characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05  Residence Education Marital status 

Currently 

employed 

Exposure to 

two or more 

media sources 

Country/year Urban Rural None Primary 

Secondary+ Never married Currently married Formerly married Yes No Yes No Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 14 31 34 16 6 4 84 * 30 12 8 28 23 Burkina Faso 2003 12 29 29 19 8 4 67 * 27 15 14 28 24 Cameroon 2004 24 38 51 35 20 9 73 66 43 23 19 36 30 Chad 2004 32 39 42 32 23 1 81 (73) 39 32 24 38 37 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 27 38 39 35 29 19 82 88 43 27 22 35 32 Eritrea 2002 8 20 26 14 7 1 45 (45) 11 15 9 20 14 Ethiopia 2005 7 20 29 11 3 0 69 30 13 18 3 18 17 Ghana 2003 10 23 29 23 11 6 78 * 25 10 9 22 16 Guinea 2005 23 41 44 23 18 9 74 (60) 40 24 20 37 33 Kenya 2003 23 24 49 25 11 9 83 (84) 38 17 16 28 24 Lesotho 2004 11 23 * 23 17 9 74 * 27 19 10 23 21 Madagascar 2003 23 40 58 41 11 12 83 92 50 17 12 46 36 Malawi 2004 25 37 64 37 20 7 84 93 47 27 20 38 35 Mali 2001 29 51 48 33 16 9 78 46 42 41 29 49 42 Mozambique 2003 34 51 63 40 19 14 80 84 56 30 25 48 43 Nigeria 2003 18 31 57 24 10 5 71 * 37 23 15 33 27 Rwanda 2005 5 4 11 4 4 2 86 * 6 2 2 4 4 Senegal 2005 12 27 30 15 4 2 63 62 21 19 14 29 20 Tanzania 2004 21 31 47 26 4 9 75 (87) 39 11 17 32 28 Uganda 2004-05 22 27 42 29 16 7 86 88 50 12 15 30 26 Zambia 2001 28 37 51 37 22 14 87 80 48 25 20 38 33 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 4 6 - * 0 0 67 * 6 (5) 3 9 5 Egypt 2005 86 77 77 72 82 n/a 79 * 72 80 79 79 79

Jordan 2002 75 (59) * * 74 n/a 73 * 0 73 71 74 73Morocco 2003 4 10 15 8 1 0 63 * 4 7 5 9 7 Moldova 2005 4 8 * * 6 0 56 * 8 6 5 13 6 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 71 72 76 77 66 n/a 73 45 71 73 62 76 72Indonesia 2002-2003 76 71 * 74 71 n/a 73 (57) 66 76 71 74 73Nepal 2001 64 55 57 56 53 n/a 56 * 56 55 55 56 56Philippines 2003 6 11 * 20 6 1 82 * 10 8 6 18 8 Vietnam 2005 1 5 (19) 13 2 0 66 * 9 1 1 7 4 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 14 22 * 26 11 7 87 84 19 14 12 31 16 Colombia 2005 20 28 55 44 18 9 84 84 27 19 n/a n/a 22 Dominican Republic 2002 23 30 61 37 15 3 80 72 28 24 22 55 25 Guyana 2004 13 14 * * 12 4 71 * 15 13 14 14 14 Honduras 2005 18 27 47 32 11 3 81 71 19 24 18 35 22 Nicaragua 2001 22 31 48 33 17 3 79 66 28 24 20 39 25 Peru 2004-05 10 21 * 34 10 4 85 (91) 16 10 10 18 13 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 

n/a = not available; - = no cases 
23

Household Characteristics 

In 14 of the 21 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, adolescents age 15-19 who live in a nuclear 

family have higher rates of ever being pregnant than adolescent girls who live in a joint family (Table 

4.3). In the other three regions, respondents who live in a joint family tend to have higher ever-pregnancy 

rates. In countries with ever-married samples, a larger proportion of adolescents in nuclear families have 

ever been pregnant. 

Outside sub-Saharan Africa, adolescents age 15-19 (in both ever-married and all-women samples) 

who live with another young person in the household are more likely to have ever been pregnant. 

However, this pattern does not hold in sub-Saharan Africa, where about half of the countries have higher 

ever-pregnancy rates among respondents who live in a household with other young people and the other 

half have higher rates among adolescents living in a household without any other young person. 

Adolescents age 15-19 who live in a female-headed household in sub-Saharan Africa are less 

likely to have ever been pregnant, except in Ghana and Lesotho. The same is true in the other three 

regions, although differentials are weaker outside of Latin America and the Caribbean. 

In all countries, respondents who live in a household without any adults are more likely to have 

ever been pregnant. In most countries with all-woman samples, the proportion of adolescents who have 

ever been pregnant decreases as household wealth increases, but this association does not occur among 

countries with ever-married samples. 
Table 4.3 Differentials in ever being pregnant, by household characteristics 

Percentage of adolescents age 15-19 who have ever been pregnant, by selected household characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Family type 

Other youth 

 in household 

Femaleheaded

household

Adults in 

household Wealth status (quintiles) 

Country/year Nuclear Joint Yes No Yes No Yes No 

Lowest Sec- ond Middle Fourth High- est Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 25 21 22 35 14 25 21 59 40 31 35 16 8 23 Burkina Faso 2003 30 20 24 33 17 25 22 56 26 33 28 28 13 24 Cameroon 2004 33 29 30 28 24 32 28 58 38 47 32 27 15 30 Chad 2004 38 37 38 32 27 39 31 86 31 43 43 38 33 37 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 32 32 31 39 27 33 30 69 36 35 41 31 18 32 Eritrea 2002 11 18 15 10 17 12 14 27 14 21 23 12 6 14 Ethiopia 2005 19 15 16 21 9 19 12 60 24 21 20 19 8 17 Ghana 2003 17 15 16 14 17 15 13 59 26 26 22 11 5 16 Guinea 2005 34 33 34 33 31 34 32 (79) 40 47 39 29 21 33 Kenya 2003 23 24 24 27 19 26 20 62 29 27 23 19 22 24 Lesotho 2004 16 21 21 12 22 20 20 37 28 28 24 17 11 21 Madagascar 2003 38 34 36 26 30 37 27 79 52 46 50 29 12 36 Malawi 2004 45 28 35 32 25 38 25 73 44 48 37 33 21 35 Mali 2001 48 35 41 50 39 42 38 79 48 54 55 43 26 42 Mozambique 2003 43 43 43 36 36 46 37 80 62 51 46 44 27 43 Nigeria 2003 29 24 27 23 11 30 25 52 33 38 30 23 13 27 Rwanda 2005 3 5 4 4 3 5 3 26 3 5 4 5 5 4 Senegal 2005 11 22 20 (26) 13 22 20 * 35 31 21 14 6 20 Tanzania 2004 30 27 28 31 26 28 24 75 35 35 30 28 17 28 Uganda 2004-05 27 25 26 23 22 28 22 60 27 25 32 29 21 26 Zambia 2001 37 31 33 36 30 34 28 80 40 41 37 38 17 33 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 0 10 5 1 2 6 5 * 5 4 9 5 0 5 Egypt 2005 84 75 82 66 71 80 79 80 72 83 81 81 79 79

Jordan 2002 75 70 78 (35) (67) 73 69 (89) 76 (63) (74) * * 73Morocco 2003 2 12 7 7 6 7 7 (26) 10 10 9 3 3 7 Moldova 2005 3 12 8 1 5 7 5 20 8 11 8 3 1 6 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 84 67 73 52 62 72 70 85 77 75 70 72 61 72Indonesia 2002-2003 80 70 74 37 75 73 71 83 75 69 75 76 68 73Nepal 2001 74 53 57 (34) 57 56 53 81 58 51 57 55 60 56Philippines 2003 7 10 9 2 6 9 6 58 22 13 8 5 2 8 Vietnam 2005 1 10 4 3 2 5 4 * 11 7 2 1 0 4 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 11 24 17 7 14 17 13 50 30 22 15 15 9 16 Colombia 2005 16 27 24 8 20 23 19 65 32 27 24 16 12 22 Dominican Republic 2002 25 25 25 20 22 26 20 69 44 35 27 17 9 25 Guyana 2004 5 21 14 (6) 13 14 12 * 14 21 15 10 9 14 Honduras 2005 19 24 22 16 19 23 18 64 32 24 28 20 10 22 Nicaragua 2001 16 30 26 13 25 26 23 68 39 32 25 20 16 25 

Peru 2004-05 6 20 14 3 11 14 12 52 30 18 14 9 4 13 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
25

5 Youth and Contraception 

This chapter examines knowledge, ever use, and current use of contraception; knowledge about a 

woman’s fertile period; and unmet need for family planning. 

5.1 Knowledge of any Modern Method of Contraception 

Knowledge of a method is the first step toward adopting a method. In all regions, knowledge of 

any modern method of contraception is nearly universal among both young women and men. However, a 

considerable proportion of youth in sub-Saharan Africa do not know of a modern method; Chad is the 

most notable example—only 49 percent of this country’s young women and 72 percent of its young men 

know of a modern method (see Table 5.1). Other countries with low levels of knowledge of any modern 

method include Madagascar, Mali, and Nigeria. Overall, knowledge of any modern method is somewhat 

higher among young men than young women, and knowledge levels are generally higher in countries 

outside sub-Saharan Africa. 

5.2 Knowledge of Multiple Methods of Contraception 

Knowledge of multiple methods of contraception measures how well-informed youth are about 

contraception. As expected, in all countries with all-women samples, knowledge of three or more modern 

methods is lower than knowledge of any modern method (Table 5.1). This is most apparent in subSaharan Africa. About 80 percent or more of young people know of three or more modern methods in 

most countries outside sub-Saharan Africa. However, in Armenia, only 65 percent of young women and 

56 percent of young men know of three or more modern methods, and 69 percent of young men in the 

Philippines have such knowledge. Within sub-Saharan Africa, at least 80 percent of young women know 

of three or more methods in only 5 of 20 countries and of young men in only 4 in 19 countries. 

Knowledge of multiple methods is particularly low in Chad, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. In countries with 

samples of ever-married young women, knowledge of multiple modern methods is nearly universal. 

Although knowledge of any modern method is higher among young men than young women in most 

countries analyzed, knowledge of multiple modern methods is higher among young women than young 

men in a majority of countries. 
26

Table 5.1 Knowledge and ever use of contraception 

Percentage of young women and young men who know of any modern method of contraception and who know of three or more 

modern methods of contraception, and percentage of young women who have ever used a modern method of contraception, 

DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Young women Young men Young women 

Knowledge of 

modern methods 

Knowledge of 

modern methods Ever use of any 

Country/year Any 3+ Any 3+ modern method 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 87 64 95 62 16 

Burkina Faso 2003 87 66 88 49 19 

Cameroon 2004 90 66 n/a n/a 37 

Chad 2004 49 23 72 39 5 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 94 58 100 100 54 

Eritrea 2002 90 73 n/a n/a 7 

Ethiopia 2005 84 55 89 71 10 

Ghana 2003 97 88 98 85 28 

Guinea 2005 91 68 93 56 15 

Kenya 2003 93 82 96 80 24 

Lesotho 2004 95 77 94 50 39 

Madagascar 2003 77 61 76 45 21 

Malawi 2004 94 86 95 78 32 

Mali 2001 76 56 85 54 15 

Mozambique 2003 89 72 98 63 39 

Nigeria 2003 73 46 88 48 16 

Rwanda 2005 91 67 96 70 4 

Senegal 2005 86 67 88 48 8 

Tanzania 2004 92 82 94 80 24 

Uganda 2004-05 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Zambia 2001 95 82 96 63 33 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 89 65 94 56 6 

Egypt 2005 100 99 n/a n/a 54

Jordan 2002 100 100 n/a n/a 42

Morocco 2003 98 94 n/a n/a 18 

Moldova 2005 98 89 99 79 34 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 100 99 n/a n/a 69

Indonesia 2002-2003 99 91 97 86 71

Nepal 2001 100 98 100 98 30

Philippines 2003 96 86 96 69 13 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 91 83 95 81 24 

Colombia 2005 100 98 n/a n/a 56 

Dominican Republic 2002 99 98 99 92 43 

Honduras 2005 99 95 n/a n/a 37 

Nicaragua 2001 97 93 n/a n/a 41 

Peru 2004-05 98 95 n/a n/a 29 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes 

currently married men only. 

n/a = not available 
27

5.3 Ever Use of any Modern Method in Young Women 

Levels of ever use of any modern method in young women are low in most countries in all 

regions but vary greatly across and within regions. Ever use of modern methods is lower in most subSaharan African countries than countries in other regions. In about half the countries in sub-Saharan 

Africa, fewer than 20 percent of young women have ever used a modern contraceptive method. As 

expected, ever use in young women in countries with ever-married samples is higher than among young 

women in countries with all-women samples. 

5.4 Current Use of a Modern Method of Contraception 

In this section, current contraceptive use is examined among all young women; currently married 

young women; and sexually active, unmarried young women. Among currently married young women, 

levels of current use range from 2 percent in Chad to 60 percent in Nicaragua. Levels are lowest in subSaharan Africa compared to other regions. This is illustrated in Figure 5.1 using data from selected 

countries. Rates among currently married young women in sub-Saharan Africa range from just 2 percent 

in Chad to 28 percent in Lesotho. In 16 of the 21 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, less than 20 percent of 

currently married young women are using a modern method. Current contraceptive use is substantially 

higher in other regions, except in Armenia and Nepal, where only 17 percent of currently married young 

women report currently using a modern method. 

Figure 5.1 Current use of contraception among currently married young women age 15-24 in 

selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

23

28

41

57 58

60

40

49

Malawi

2004

Lesotho 

2004

Bangladesh

2004

Indonesia 

2002-03

Colombia

2005

Nicaragua

2001

Moldova

2005

Morocco

2003

Sub-Saharan Africa North Africa/West Asia/Europe South/Southeast Asia Latin America/Caribbean
28

Current use of a modern method among sexually active, unmarried young women is higher than 

among all young women or currently married young women; this rate ranges from 3 percent in Rwanda to 

66 percent in Colombia (Table 5.2). In Latin America and the Caribbean, modern contraceptive use 

among sexually active, unmarried young women is higher than 50 percent in four of the seven countries. 

In about half the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, current use of a modern method in sexually active, 

unmarried women is lower than 30 percent. 

Table 5.2 Current use of contraception 

Percentage of all young women, currently married women, and sexually active, unmarried young women who currently use any 

modern method of contraception, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Current use of any modern method 

Country/year 

All young 

women Total 

Currently 

married 

women Total 

Sexually active, 

unmarried young 

women Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 6 2,448 6 1,155 18 223 

Burkina Faso 2003 10 5,050 8 2,739 56 239 

Cameroon 2004 15 4,936 15 2,391 52 365 

Chad 2004 1 2,432 2 1,478 10 39 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 14 3,060 14 1,093 25 660 

Eritrea 2002 2 3,456 4 1,530 * 12 

Ethiopia 2005 6 5,813 13 2,284 (49) 28 

Ghana 2003 11 2,160 15 667 33 162 

Guinea 2005 8 2,800 6 1,474 36 218 

Kenya 2003 11 3,547 20 1,298 40 142 

Lesotho 2004 18 3,173 28 1,072 46 131 

Madagascar 2003 10 2,919 16 1,291 21 267 

Malawi 2004 16 5,262 23 3,071 25 163 

Mali 2001 6 4,904 6 3,165 20 262 

Mozambique 2003 23 4,910 21 2,683 45 661 

Nigeria 2003 8 3,210 6 1,456 40 245 

Rwanda 2005 2 4,938 7 1,045 3 50 

Senegal 2005 3 6,400 6 2,849 * 13 

Tanzania 2004 12 4,252 15 1,990 36 318 

Uganda 2004-05 12 4,119 17 1,799 34 176 

Zambia 2001 13 3,476 22 1,524 25 211 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 4 2,254 17 582 * 2 

Egypt 2005 37 3,772 38 3,690 n/a n/a

Jordan 2002 25 886 25 864 n/a n/a

Morocco 2003 11 6,306 49 1,441 n/a n/a 

Moldova 2005 17 2,541 40 765 48 182 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 40 3,800 41 3,657 n/a n/a

Indonesia 2002-2003 55 4,832 57 4,672 n/a n/a

Nepal 2001 16 2,599 17 2,573 n/a n/a

Philippines 2003 8 4,856 27 1,334 * 21 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 13 7,007 34 2,051 34 316 

Colombia 2005 30 13,248 58 3,668 66 2,058 

Dominican Republic 2002 21 8,698 45 3,176 44 544 

Guyana 2004 17 842 35 262 36 76 

Honduras 2005 20 8,239 48 2,944 58 261 

Nicaragua 2001 25 5,546 60 2,035 56 173 

Peru 2004-05 15 4,241 47 948 53 246 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 

unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figures is based on fewer the 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 

n/a = not available 
29

5.5 Differentials in Current Use of a Modern Method of Contraception 

Individual Characteristics 

Table 5.3 shows differentials in current use of a modern method among currently married young 

women, by selected individual characteristics. Women age 20-24 years are more likely to use a modern 

method currently than women age 15-19, with the exceptions of Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, and Senegal, 

where the differentials are small. In the majority of countries, current use of a modern method is highest 

among those who live in an urban area, have more education, and have regular exposure to the media. In 

the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Indonesia, and the Philippines, where current use rates are relatively 

high, there is little urban-rural difference. 

The role of young women’s work status is inconsistent; in about half the countries in sub-Saharan 

Africa, young women who do not work are more likely to use a method, whereas in the other half, young 

women who work are as likely or more likely to use a modern method. In the other three regions, work 

status is weakly associated with current use of a modern method for the most part. 

The role of young women’s work status is inconsistent; in about half the countries in sub-Saharan 

Africa, young women who do not work are more likely to use a method, whereas in the other half, young 

women who work are as likely or more likely to use a modern method. In the other three regions, work 

status is weakly associated with current use of a modern method for the most part. 
Table 5.3 Differentials in current use of contraception, by individual characteristics 

Percentage of currently married young women who use a modern method of contraception, by selected individual characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Age Residence Education 

Currently 

employed 

Exposure to two or 

more media sources 

Country/year 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural None Primary Secondary+ Yes No Yes No Total Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 3 7 6 6 4 9 17 6 6 11 5 6 Burkina Faso 2003 4 9 31 4 5 14 46 6 18 25 5 8 Cameroon 2004 15 15 25 5 1 10 32 11 20 32 9 15 Chad 2004 1 2 7 0 0 3 13 1 4 11 1 2 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 11 14 18 10 4 8 19 11 18 18 12 14 Eritrea 2002 2 5 11 2 1 4 14 6 4 8 2 4 Ethiopia 2005 9 15 46 10 9 19 43 17 12 39 12 13 Ghana 2003 7 17 21 11 6 18 19 15 13 20 12 15 Guinea 2005 5 6 12 3 4 9 21 6 6 20 4 6 Kenya 2003 13 22 28 17 2 19 34 21 18 34 15 20 Lesotho 2004 15 33 40 26 * 22 39 31 26 43 26 28 Madagascar 2003 11 18 25 13 3 15 33 15 20 35 11 16 Malawi 2004 17 25 28 22 16 22 34 23 24 30 22 23 Mali 2001 4 7 14 3 4 9 27 6 5 13 3 6 Mozambique 2003 16 23 26 18 16 22 49 19 25 35 19 21 Nigeria 2003 4 7 12 4 2 7 15 7 4 13 3 6 Rwanda 2005 3 8 17 6 3 7 28 7 10 22 7 7 Senegal 2005 5 7 13 3 3 12 25 6 7 10 3 6 Tanzania 2004 7 19 28 12 6 19 33 15 19 27 12 15 Uganda 2004-05 12 19 39 14 9 16 31 16 20 34 15 17 Zambia 2001 19 23 34 16 9 18 38 19 25 41 18 22 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 4 19 19 13 - * 17 27 15 20 13 17 Egypt 2005 24 41 43 35 30 45 39 43 37 40 33 38 Jordan 2002 13 28 26 22 * 19 26 0 25 23 28 25 Morocco 2003 36 53 53 45 47 52 48 46 49 49 48 49 Moldova 2005 34 41 45 36 * * 40 39 41 43 30 40 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 34 47 48 40 39 40 43 41 47 45 40 41 Indonesia 2002-2003 47 59 58 55 57 59 54 56 57 58 55 57 Nepal 2001 9 21 38 15 12 17 27 17 15 32 13 17 Philippines 2003 13 30 28 26 * 19 30 26 28 31 21 27 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 26 36 39 26 11 28 43 33 35 39 25 34 Colombia 2005 47 61 61 51 40 51 61 60 56 n/a n/a 58 Dominican Republic 2002 38 49 45 46 37 43 49 46 45 47 40 45 Guyana 2004 31 36 34 35 * (27) 37 36 35 37 29 35 Honduras 2005 40 51 54 42 41 46 54 52 46 54 39 48 Nicaragua 2001 53 64 63 57 50 62 62 62 59 63 57 60 Peru 2004-05 42 48 55 36 * 34 53 45 49 52 42 47 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 

n/a = not available; - = no cases 
31

Household Characteristics 

Current use of a modern method among currently married young women is positively associated 

with living in a joint family and living with another young person (Table 5.4). Differentials in current use 

of contraception by both of these variables, however, remain weak in several sub-Saharan countries. 

In most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and in South/Southeast Asia, currently 

married young women who live in a female-headed household are less likely to use a modern method of 

contraception. In Bolivia and Guyana, however, young women who live in a female-headed household 

are more likely to use a method. In Nicaragua, the sex of the household head is weakly associated with 

rates of current use of a method. In North Africa/West Asia/Europe, the sex of the head of household also 

shows a weak association with current use of a method, except in Morocco, where young women in maleheaded households are somewhat more likely to use a method. The association between living in a 

female-headed household and modern method use shows no clear pattern in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Generally, having an adult in the household shows little association on current contraceptive use 

by young women in sub-Saharan Africa and in about half the countries in South/Southeast Asia. 

However, in North Africa/West Asia/Europe, having an adult in the household is associated with 

increased contraceptive use. Contraceptive use by young women is positively associated with household 

wealth in most countries. 
Table 5.4 Differentials in current use of contraception, by household characteristics 

Percentage of currently married young women who use a modern method of contraception, by selected household characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05  Family type 

Other youth 

in household 

Femaleheaded

household 

Adults in 

household Wealth status (quintiles) 

Country/year Nuclear Joint Yes No Yes No Yes No 

Lowest Sec- ond Mid- dle Fourth High- est Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 7 5 6 1 5 6 6 5 4 2 3 10 12 6 Burkina Faso 2003 9 7 8 2 6 8 8 5 1 4 6 5 28 8 Cameroon 2004 9 19 15 14 26 12 14 17 2 4 10 26 34 15 Chad 2004 3 1 2 0 5 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 7 2 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 14 13 14 5 19 13 14 10 10 8 14 18 22 14 Eritrea 2002 5 3 5 0 4 4 4 0 1 1 1 8 14 4 Ethiopia 2005 15 12 14 11 12 13 14 12 3 8 10 14 35 13 Ghana 2003 13 17 15 9 11 16 16 11 9 12 11 22 26 15 Guinea 2005 7 4 6 0 9 5 6 7 3 3 3 5 14 6 Kenya 2003 18 21 21 7 19 20 19 22 5 18 21 20 31 20 Lesotho 2004 26 32 28 14 30 27 28 26 15 24 34 33 40 28 Madagascar 2003 16 15 16 10 24 15 17 12 5 9 13 23 32 16 Malawi 2004 24 23 24 2 18 24 24 21 16 19 24 24 34 23 Mali 2001 5 8 6 0 3 6 6 1 2 3 2 7 15 6 Mozambique 2003 21 21 22 0 17 21 21 19 16 16 23 21 31 21 Nigeria 2003 6 5 6 3 11 5 6 4 2 2 4 9 17 6 Rwanda 2005 11 6 8 1 5 8 9 3 5 2 5 9 18 7 Senegal 2005 6 6 6 (7) 8 6 6 (0) 2 4 7 9 14 6 Tanzania 2004 12 19 16 5 8 16 16 12 9 10 11 21 31 15 Uganda 2004-05 17 17 18 6 16 17 18 16 13 11 11 15 34 17 Zambia 2001 23 20 23 2 15 22 22 20 9 13 21 30 42 22 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 18 8 18 (0) 15 17 17 * 5 11 11 26 32 17 Egypt 2005 32 43 43 1 37 38 38 31 31 38 40 41 38 38 Jordan 2002 21 28 29 0 (26) 25 27 15 25 26 25 28 23 25 Morocco 2003 45 58 52 9 42 49 49 42 42 51 49 47 57 49 Moldova 2005 39 41 42 27 41 40 42 33 33 36 37 42 49 40 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 37 50 43 10 31 42 41 41 37 39 41 41 50 41 Indonesia 2002-2003 53 63 59 11 48 57 56 57 52 60 59 56 55 57 Nepal 2001 14 25 17 6 12 17 16 20 8 11 14 19 34 17 Philippines 2003 25 29 28 5 22 28 26 30 22 24 29 32 33 27 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 35 34 59 44 39 34 34 34 25 29 33 40 51 34 Colombia 2005 54 61 48 27 50 59 58 55 45 58 61 64 69 58 Dominican Republic 2002 42 47 36 20 39 47 47 39 40 46 47 47 49 45 Guyana 2004 34 37 49 (31) 40 33 35 (33) 42 32 (32) (25) (46) 35 Honduras 2005 54 42 49 26 36 50 47 51 34 43 49 57 59 48 Nicaragua 2001 59 62 61 27 60 61 60 60 53 59 62 66 65 60 Peru 2004-05 46 48 47 (32) 42 47 60 46 33 44 42 69 51 47 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
33

5.6 Knowledge of the Fertile Period 

Being able to identify a woman’s fertile period is useful for coitus-related contraceptive methods 

that are only effective if they are used at the appropriate time during a woman’s monthly cycle. The DHS 

surveys ask both women and men when the most fertile period of a woman’s cycle occurs. Table 5.5 

shows that in most countries, a large majority of young women and men cannot correctly identify the 

fertile period, and fewer young men can identify a woman’s fertile period than young women. In 27 out of 

33 countries, less than 30 percent of young females can identify the fertile period; and in 17 out of 19 

countries, less than 20 percent of young males have such knowledge. Large within-region differentials 

exist in the proportions of young women and men who can correctly identify the fertile period; for 

example, in sub-Saharan Africa, the rate ranges from 9 percent among young women in Rwanda to 55 

percent in Congo and from 5 percent among young men in Tanzania to 21 percent in Madagascar. 
34

Table 5.5 Knowledge of a woman’s fertile period 

Percentage of young women and young men who know that the fertile period is halfway between two menstrual periods, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Country/year Young women Total Young men Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 21 2,448 n/a n/a 

Burkina Faso 2003 18 5,050 11 1,440 

Cameroon 2004 32 4,936 n/a n/a 

Chad 2004 14 2,432 n/a n/a 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 55 3,060 n/a n/a 

Eritrea 2002 11 3,456 n/a n/a 

Ethiopia 2005 12 5,813 8 2,399 

Ghana 2003 23 2,160 19 1,791 

Guinea 2005 14 2,800 11 1,146 

Kenya 2003 16 3,547 12 1,537 

Lesotho 2004 14 3,173 8 1,250 

Madagascar 2003 36 2,919 21 832 

Malawi 2004 16 5,262 8 1,237 

Mali 2001 16 4,904 n/a n/a 

Nigeria 2003 15 3,210 10 880 

Rwanda 2005 9 4,938 8 2,048 

Senegal 2005 13 6,400 10 1,571 

Tanzania 2004 21 4,252 5 1,130 

Zambia 2001 19 3,476 8 804 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 21 2,254 9 529 

Egypt 2005 21 3,772 n/a n/a

Jordan 2002 21 886 n/a n/a

Morocco 2003 9 6,306 n/a n/a 

Moldova 2005 39 2,541 18 686 

South/Southeast Asia 

Indonesia 2002-2003 14 4,832 10 437 

Nepal 2001 18 2,599 n/a n/a

Philippines 2003 23 4,856 16 1,702 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 35 7,007 38 2,160 

Colombia 2005 33 13,248 n/a n/a 

Dominican Republic 2002 9 8,698 4 1,020 

Honduras 2005 8 8,239 n/a n/a 

Nicaragua 2001 13 5,546 n/a n/a 

Peru 2004-05 29 4,241 n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently married 

men only. 

n/a = not available 
35

5.7 Levels of Unmet Need for Family Planning 

Levels of unmet need for contraception among all young women are below 20 percent in all 

countries, with the exception of Mali (23 percent) and Nepal (34 percent) (Table 5.6). Among currently 

married young women, levels of unmet need are somewhat higher than among the all-women samples, 

ranging from 8 percent in Indonesia and Morocco to 44 percent in Ghana. Overall, unmet need levels are 

higher in sub-Saharan Africa than in other regions; levels are lowest in North Africa/West Asia/Europe. 

There are substantial intraregional variations in unmet need among currently married young women. For 

example, unmet need levels in South and Southeast Asia range from 8 percent in Indonesia to 34 percent 

in Nepal. 

Among young women who are sexually active and unmarried, levels of unmet need are generally 

higher than among currently married young women (data from selected countries are shown in Figure 

5.2), ranging from 9 percent in Congo to 57 percent in Chad and Mali. In more than half of the countries 

in sub-Saharan Africa, the level of unmet need among young, sexually active, unmarried young women is 

40 percent or higher. 

Figure 5.2 Unmet need for family planning among currently married and sexually active, 

unmarried women age 15-24 in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

26 27

12

23

18

47

33

23

30

22

Benin 2001 Burkina Faso 2003 Moldova 2005 Dominican Republic 2002 Nicaragua 2001

Currently married Sexually active, unmarried
36

Table 5.6 Unmet need for family planning in young women 

Percentage of all young women, currently married young women, and sexually active, unmarried young women with an unmet need 

for family planning, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Country/year All Total 

Currently 

married Total 

Sexually 

active,

unmarried Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 17 2,448 26 1,155 47 223 

Burkina Faso 2003 16 5,050 27 2,739 33 239 

Cameroon 2004 12 4,936 21 2,391 18 365 

Chad 2004 15 2,432 23 1,478 57 39 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 10 3,060 23 1,093 9 660 

Eritrea 2002 15 3,456 34 1,530 * 12 

Ethiopia 2005 14 5,813 36 2,284 (13) 28 

Ghana 2003 17 2,160 44 667 46 162 

Guinea 2005 14 2,800 21 1,474 43 218 

Kenya 2003 13 3,547 31 1,298 40 142 

Lesotho 2004 13 3,173 32 1,072 40 131 

Madagascar 2003 13 2,919 21 1,291 36 267 

Malawi 2004 18 5,262 29 3,071 53 163 

Mali 2001 23 4,904 30 3,165 57 262 

Mozambique 2003 13 4,910 17 2,683 27 661 

Nigeria 2003 10 3,210 16 1,456 41 245 

Rwanda 2005 8 4,938 35 1,045 55 50 

Senegal 2005 15 6,400 33 2,849 * 13 

Tanzania 2004 13 4,252 22 1,990 40 318 

Zambia 2001 14 3,476 26 1,524 42 211 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 5 2,254 19 582 * 2 

Egypt 2005 10 3,772 10 3,690 n/a n/a 

Jordan 2002 15 886 16 864 n/a n/a 

Morocco 2003 2 6,306 8 1,441 n/a n/a 

Moldova 2005 5 2,541 12 765 23 182 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 13 3,800 14 3,657 n/a n/a 

Indonesia 2002-2003 8 4,832 8 4,672 n/a n/a 

Nepal 2001 34 2,599 34 2,573 n/a n/a 

Philippines 2003 7 4,856 26 1,334 * 21 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 10 7,007 31 2,051 31 316 

Colombia 2005 5 13,248 12 3,668 14 2,058 

Dominican Republic 2002 10 8,698 23 3,176 30 544 

Honduras 2005 9 8,239 24 2,944 21 261 

Nicaragua 2001 7 5,546 18 2,035 22 173 

Peru 2004-05 3 4,241 12 948 10 246 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 

unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 

n/a = not available 
37

5.8 Differentials in Unmet Need for Family Planning 

Individual Characteristics 

Unmet need for family planning has no clear pattern by age among currently married young 

women (Table 5.7). For example, unmet need is higher among women age 20-24 than adolescents age 15-

19 in about half the sub-Saharan African countries and lower or the same in the other half. In the other 

three regions, unmet need tends to be higher among adolescents age 15-19. 

In countries in South/Southeast Asia and in Latin America and the Caribbean, levels of unmet 

need are higher among currently married, rural young women than among urban women, except in the 

Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, where the differential is weak. In most sub-Saharan African 

countries, levels of unmet need do not differ appreciably between currently married young women living 

in urban and rural areas. In North Africa/West Asia/Europe, slight differences exist by area of residence. 

Differentials in unmet need by education and current work status are fairly inconsistent across 

and within regions. In some countries, unmet need is higher among more educated and working young 

women, whereas in others, it is lower or there are no differentials by education or work status. However, 

in the case of media exposure, young women outside of sub-Saharan Africa with less media exposure 

have greater unmet need for contraception, whereas in sub-Saharan Africa there is no clear pattern of 

association between unmet need and media exposure. 
Table 5.7 Unmet need for family planning in young women, by individual characteristics 

Percentage of currently married young women with an unmet need for family planning, by selected individual characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Age Residence Education 

Currently 

employed 

Exposure to two or 

more media 

sources 

Country/year 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural None Primary Secondary+ Yes No Yes No Total Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 28 25 30 24 23 34 32 25 31 33 25 26 Burkina Faso 2003 20 31 20 28 28 24 13 28 20 24 28 27 Cameroon 2004 19 22 19 23 20 22 21 20 22 18 22 21 Chad 2004 21 24 30 21 19 33 32 23 20 29 22 23 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 29 21 23 22 18 24 22 22 23 22 23 23 Eritrea 2002 43 28 35 34 30 39 36 37 33 39 32 34 Ethiopia 2005 38 34 21 37 36 38 22 34 36 27 36 36 Ghana 2003 57 41 41 46 35 54 45 44 45 40 46 44 Guinea 2005 20 21 25 19 17 23 46 19 25 25 20 21 Kenya 2003 28 32 26 33 23 34 26 33 28 27 33 31 Lesotho 2004 35 31 21 34 * 34 27 27 35 25 33 32 Madagascar 2003 20 22 20 21 23 22 16 21 24 21 21 21 Malawi 2004 26 30 26 29 32 28 30 28 30 26 29 29 Mali 2001 31 30 33 29 29 37 37 32 28 32 30 30 Mozambique 2003 17 17 20 16 15 18 25 17 18 21 17 17 Nigeria 2003 15 16 18 15 13 20 20 18 14 19 15 16 Rwanda 2005 22 36 35 35 35 36 26 35 36 33 35 35 Senegal 2005 33 32 37 31 31 37 37 32 33 33 32 33 Tanzania 2004 19 23 19 22 21 23 13 23 17 24 21 22 Zambia 2001 23 28 26 26 27 27 25 26 27 24 27 26 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 19 19 16 23 - * 19 7 21 14 26 19 Egypt 2005 9 11 9 11 13 10 9 12 10 9 14 10 Jordan 2002 19 15 16 16 37 19 15 16 14 17 16 Morocco 2003 9 8 8 8 * 9 13 8 8 9 8 8 Moldova 2005 13 12 11 12 * * 12 11 12 11 16 12 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 15 12 10 14 16 13 13 14 10 11 15 14 Indonesia 2002-2003 7 9 8 9 8 8 9 9 8 8 9 8 Nepal 2001 36 33 26 35 34 37 32 34 35 26 36 34 Philippines 2003 29 25 23 28 * 30 24 22 28 25 28 26 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 33 30 28 35 (33) 37 23 30 32 27 37 31 Colombia 2005 16 11 10 16 18 16 10 10 14 n/a n/a 12 Dominican Republic 2002 29 20 23 22 26 26 19 20 24 22 26 23 Honduras 2005 26 22 21 26 26 24 22 19 26 21 27 24 Nicaragua 2001 20 17 17 19 24 18 16 20 17 17 20 18 Peru 2004-05 16 11 9 16 * 17 10 12 12 8 15 12 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 

n/a = not available; - = no cases 
39

Household Characteristics 

Despite some intraregional variation, consistent patterns of association exist between unmet need for 

contraception among currently married young women and several household characteristics (Table 5.8). In 

most countries, young women residing in a joint family, a female-headed household, or a household with other 

youth have higher levels of unmet need than other young women. However, no clear patterns of association 

exist between unmet need and having an adult in the household or household wealth status. 
Table 5.8 Unmet need for family planning in young women, by household characteristics 

Percentage of currently married young women with an unmet need for family planning, by selected household characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Family type 

Other youth 

in household 

Femaleheaded household Adults in household Wealth status (quintiles) 

Country/year Nuclear Joint Yes No No Yes Yes No 

Lowest Sec- ond Middle Fourth High- est Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 22 31 27 8 24 39 27 19 19 23 29 26 37 26 Burkina Faso 2003 27 27 28 9 27 34 27 30 25 29 29 31 20 27 Cameroon 2004 18 23 22 9 21 23 22 16 18 25 24 21 16 21 Chad 2004 19 28 24 2 21 33 23 21 21 24 26 15 28 23 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 19 25 24 9 22 25 23 22 25 20 28 22 15 23 Eritrea 2002 32 37 37 18 34 34 34 38 30 33 36 36 33 34 Ethiopia 2005 35 36 37 18 35 40 35 37 32 39 36 40 30 36 Ghana 2003 46 42 47 24 40 55 42 53 40 50 52 42 33 44 Guinea 2005 15 25 22 3 19 32 21 18 16 18 21 23 25 21 Kenya 2003 32 30 33 13 32 29 31 33 33 34 34 28 28 31 Lesotho 2004 28 33 34 8 34 29 32 35 39 37 30 27 25 32 Madagascar 2003 23 18 22 6 22 12 21 21 24 22 21 21 17 21 Malawi 2004 29 30 30 14 28 34 29 28 29 30 30 29 25 29 Mali 2001 29 34 32 14 29 45 30 35 30 27 28 34 34 30 Mozambique 2003 15 19 18 9 16 25 18 13 11 16 18 21 22 17 Nigeria 2003 15 17 16 12 15 24 16 15 13 13 16 21 17 16 Rwanda 2005 36 33 38 1 34 49 35 35 33 38 33 38 33 35 Senegal 2005 34 33 33 (32) 32 36 33 (25) 29 32 34 35 35 33 Tanzania 2004 20 24 23 5 22 20 22 19 23 20 26 24 16 22 Zambia 2001 23 30 27 13 26 28 28 17 21 29 27 31 23 26 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 9 21 20 (15) 17 28 20 16 * 16 23 20 13 19 Egypt 2005 10 11 11 6 10 9 10 10 15 12 8 9 7 10 Jordan 2002 14 18 17 5 (16) 12 16 16 15 15 15 21 16 16 Morocco 2003 7 9 8 12 8 17 8 10 8 9 8 7 10 8 Moldova 2005 12 12 13 7 11 14 10 19 9 14 14 10 11 12 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 11 15 14 4 13 21 14 12 15 14 13 16 10 14 Indonesia 2002-2003 8 9 9 3 8 15 8 8 11 7 7 8 10 8 Nepal 2001 28 36 35 12 33 40 34 34 38 35 38 30 27 34 Philippines 2003 24 28 26 12 25 28 26 23 28 31 22 25 19 26 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 30 32 31 23 31 28 32 29 40 31 31 29 19 31 Colombia 2005 10 14 12 9 11 15 12 12 18 13 9 9 4 12 Dominican Republic 2002 20 27 24 14 22 28 22 26 27 22 20 20 26 23 Honduras 2005 19 28 24 20 21 38 24 21 30 24 24 20 19 24 Nicaragua 2001 16 19 18 15 17 20 18 18 22 19 17 17 14 18 Peru 2004-05 12 12 12 (11) 12 12 12 13 18 17 8 3 15 12 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
41

6 Sexual Behaviors of Young Women and Men 

This section provides levels and differentials of youth sexual behaviors that promote positive 

reproductive health (such as sexual abstinence and condom use) and those that can lead to negative health 

outcomes (such as multiple sexual partnerships). 

6.1 Levels of Primary and Secondary Abstinence 

Abstinence is a key behavior used to combat the spread of the HIV epidemic, along with 

remaining faithful to one uninfected, faithful partner, and correct and consistent condom use. 

Among never-married young women, levels of primary abstinence range from 34 percent in 

Congo to 100 percent in Vietnam and Armenia (Table 6.1). Levels of primary abstinence are higher in 

South/Southeast Asia and in North Africa/West Asia/Europe than in the other regions. In Armenia, the 

Philippines, and Vietnam, nearly all young, never-married women report never having sex. 
42

Table 6.1 Levels of primary and secondary abstinence among young women and young men 

Percentage of never-married young women and never-married young men age 15-24 who have never had sex, and percentage 

of never-married young women and never-married young men who have had sex but not in the past 12 months, DHS/AIS 

2001-05

Never-married young women Never-married young men 

Country/year 

Primary 

abstinence

Secondary 

abstinence Total 

Primary 

abstinence

Secondary 

abstinence Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 49 8 1,250 36 11 798 

Burkina Faso 2003 69 5 2,246 61 7 1,272 

Cameroon 2004 58 8 2,318 47 8 1,756 

Chad 2004 92 1 849 60 5 567 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 34 7 1,738 24 10 1,026 

Eritrea 2002 96 2 1,778 n/a n/a n/a 

Ethiopia 2005 96 1 3,165 88 5 2,081 

Ghana 2003 61 9 1,417 67 9 1,615 

Guinea 2005 59 6 1,250 38 9 980 

Kenya 2003 63 15 2,090 37 22 1,379 

Lesotho 2004 57 14 1,990 42 10 1,137 

Madagascar 2003 58 10 1,391 46 4 621 

Malawi 2004 68 11 1,869 40 21 937 

Mali 2001 63 6 1,599 52 12 1,015 

Mozambique 2003 39 7 1,774 26 7 828 

Nigeria 2003 62 7 1,685 62 9 809 

Rwanda 2005 86 9 3,762 67 24 1,863 

Senegal 2005 96 2 3,407 65 14 1,321 

Tanzania 2004 62 9 2,096 41 16 951 

Uganda 2004-05 64 11 2,049 50 20 2,776 

Zambia 2001 50 18 1,732 28 20 688 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 100 0 1,657 66 5 479 

Moldova 2005 80 3 1,707 41 5 614 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 n/a n/a n/a 84 16 1,227 

Philippines 2003 97 1 3,475 75 11 1,468 

Vietnam 2005 100 0 1,851 96 1 2,164 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 74 9 4,708 47 8 1,717 

Colombia 2005 54 8 8,700 n/a n/a n/a 

Dominican Republic 2002 84 3 4,572 39 8 842 

Guyana 2004 65 7 548 48 12 579 

Honduras 2005 86 5 4,667 n/a n/a n/a 

Nicaragua 2001 89 3 2,924 n/a n/a n/a 

Peru 2004-05 78 6 3,134 n/a n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. 

n/a = not available
43

64

50

80

84

65

50

28

41 39

48

11

18

3 3

7

20 20

5

8

12

Uganda 2004-05 Zambia 2001 Moldova 2005 Dominican Republic 2002 Guyana 2004

Primary abstinence Women Primary abstinence Men Secondary abstinence Women Secondary abstinence Men

In sub-Saharan Africa and in Latin America and the Caribbean, levels of primary abstinence 

among never-married young women vary by region. For example, in Latin America and the Caribbean, 

primary abstinence levels range from 54 percent in Colombia to 89 percent in Nicaragua. Except in Benin 

(49 percent), Congo (34 percent), and Mozambique (39 percent), the majority of never-married young 

women in sub-Saharan Africa have never had sex. Within sub-Saharan Africa, primary abstinence levels 

are highest (96 percent) in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Senegal. 

Levels of primary abstinence are much lower among young men than young women, except in 

Ghana. In 13 of the 28 countries with data on primary abstinence in young men, the majority of nevermarried young men practice primary abstinence. South/Southeast Asia has the highest primary abstinence 

levels, with 75-96 percent of never-married young men reporting that they have never had sex. Within 

sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of never-married young men practicing primary abstinence ranges 

from 24 percent in Congo to 88 percent in Ethiopia. In 6 of the 20 countries with data on abstinence in 

young men—Benin, Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, and Zambia—less than 40 percent of nevermarried young men report practicing primary abstinence. 

Levels of secondary abstinence are lower than levels of primary abstinence among young women 

and men, but secondary abstinence is reported more frequently among young men than women (see 

Figure 6.1). Secondary abstinence rates are generally higher in sub-Saharan Africa than other regions. 

More than 10 percent of young women in 5 of the 21 sub-Saharan countries with data on this topic report 

practicing secondary abstinence. Similarly, more than 10 percent of young men in 9 of the 20 countries 

with data in this population report practicing secondary abstinence. Among never-married young men, 

secondary abstinence rates are highest in Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia, where 20-24 

percent of young men report practicing secondary abstinence. 

Figure 6.1 Primary and secondary abstinence among young women and young men in selected 

countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 
44

6.2 Differentials in Primary Abstinence in Young Women 

Individual Characteristics 

As expected, adolescents age 15-19 are consistently more likely to abstain from sex than women 

age 20-24 years (Table 6.2). In most countries, primary abstinence among never-married young women is 

more common in rural areas than urban areas; however, in about half the countries included in this 

analysis, the urban-rural difference is small. In sub-Saharan African countries, levels of primary 

abstinence among young women decline with education and regular media exposure, except in 

Madagascar, where the contrary occurs. In contrast, in Latin American and Caribbean countries, the level 

of primary abstinence among young women is only weakly associated with educational level, except in 

Bolivia and Peru, where primary abstinence is more common among more educated young women. 

Media exposure is also weakly associated with primary abstinence levels among young women in Latin 

American and the Caribbean. Primary abstinence levels are generally higher among young women who 

are not working than those who are working. 
Table 6.2 Differentials in primary abstinence in young women, by individual characteristics 

Percentage of never-married young women who have never had sex, by selected individual characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Age Residence Education 

Currently 

employed 

Exposure to two or more

media

sources 

Country/year 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural None Primary Secondary+ Yes No Yes No Total Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 58 20 39 61 59 47 36 52 44 38 54 49 Burkina Faso 2003 76 33 57 78 76 68 55 70 66 56 77 69 Cameroon 2004 67 27 55 65 94 66 50 50 61 52 63 58 Chad 2004 94 82 85 95 94 93 85 93 91 84 93 92 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 45 5 33 34 (39) 38 31 23 38 32 34 34 Eritrea 2002 98 89 96 97 96 95 97 90 98 95 98 96 Ethiopia 2005 97 90 91 98 97 96 93 94 97 91 96 96 Ghana 2003 71 37 63 57 66 61 60 47 69 60 61 61 Guinea 2005 65 33 58 60 58 61 57 51 67 59 59 59 Kenya 2003 73 41 58 65 82 62 64 46 73 62 65 63 Lesotho 2004 69 28 53 59 * 61 53 40 63 56 58 57 Madagascar 2003 67 31 57 58 42 56 64 48 68 67 50 58 Malawi 2004 75 37 60 71 (76) 73 58 64 70 62 70 68 Mali 2001 70 32 58 70 69 60 54 63 64 60 67 63 Mozambique 2003 47 11 34 47 50 42 26 32 44 35 41 39 Nigeria 2003 73 38 62 62 82 69 58 51 66 58 65 62 Rwanda 2005 91 77 78 88 82 87 80 84 88 81 87 86 Senegal 2005 97 92 96 96 96 96 96 95 96 96 94 96 Tanzania 2004 70 35 53 68 61 62 63 55 71 61 63 62 Uganda 2004-05 71 33 50 68 72 71 54 53 69 53 70 64 Zambia 2001 59 24 50 51 53 52 48 38 56 51 50 50 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 100 100 100 100 * * 100 100 100 100 100 100 Moldova 2005 87 57 74 83 * * 80 65 84 79 84 80 

South/Southeast Asia 

Philippines 2003 99 93 96 98 * 97 97 95 98 97 97 97 Vietnam 2005 100 100 100 100 (100) 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 82 54 74 75 * 72 75 67 83 75 70 74 Colombia 2005 68 27 52 63 52 53 54 40 66 n/a n/a 54 Dominican Republic 2002 90 69 82 88 (84) 88 82 71 90 84 85 84 Guyana 2004 74 44 53 71 * * 66 48 74 65 66 65 Honduras 2005 91 72 85 88 82 84 87 81 90 86 86 86 Nicaragua 2001 94 76 88 93 85 91 89 82 93 89 89 89 

Peru 2004-05 86 63 78 79 * 73 79 72 87 77 80 78 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. n/a = not available 
46

Household Characteristics 

In most countries, primary abstinence among young women is positively associated with living in 

a nuclear family, a household with other youth, a male-headed household, or a household with an adult 

(Table 6.3). Primary abstinence levels are lower in many countries among young women living in a 

wealthier household. 
Table 6.3 Differentials in primary abstinence in young women, by household characteristics 

Percentage of never-married young women who have never had sex, by selected household characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

 Family type 

Other youth in 

household

Femaleheaded

household

Adults in 

household Wealth status (quintiles) 

Country/year Nuclear Joint Yes No Yes No Yes No 

Lowest Sec- ond Middle Fourth High- est Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 58 44 49 35 43 51 49 (37) 70 70 57 44 37 49 Burkina Faso 2003 76 66 69 64 60 71 69 * 79 79 81 71 58 69 Cameroon 2004 72 54 59 47 49 62 60 28 79 61 60 53 54 58 Chad 2004 94 91 92 (95) 89 93 93 * 97 91 95 93 87 92 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 47 31 34 28 27 37 34 (16) 32 38 34 29 35 34 Eritrea 2002 99 93 96 97 94 98 96 93 96 100 96 95 96 96 Ethiopia 2005 97 94 96 89 93 97 96 88 98 98 98 98 92 96 Ghana 2003 64 59 62 44 52 68 62 31 66 52 54 58 67 61 Guinea 2005 69 54 58 73 53 60 59 * 65 63 52 54 63 59 Kenya 2003 76 57 64 57 60 66 64 44 72 61 64 65 59 63 Lesotho 2004 65 56 58 50 52 61 58 42 64 57 58 57 55 57 Madagascar 2003 68 50 58 55 51 60 59 20 44 57 45 63 66 58 Malawi 2004 76 64 68 69 63 70 69 47 66 77 75 70 61 68 Mali 2001 69 60 63 73 51 65 63 * 71 69 69 65 59 63 Mozambique 2003 52 34 39 37 32 43 40 10 49 51 52 34 33 39 Nigeria 2003 65 59 62 57 51 65 63 30 63 61 68 63 57 62 Rwanda 2005 91 82 86 86 85 87 87 77 88 87 90 87 81 86 Senegal 2005 98 95 96 (100) 96 96 96 * 94 95 95 96 97 96 Tanzania 2004 76 57 63 54 52 66 63 (21) 62 68 69 63 56 62 Uganda 2004-05 79 59 64 56 59 67 65 45 73 78 69 67 50 64 Zambia 2001 64 46 50 (54) 43 53 51 26 44 55 49 45 55 50 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 (100) 100 100 100 100 100 100 Moldova 2005 82 75 81 75 74 82 80 66 85 85 81 80 69 80 

South/Southeast Asia 

Philippines 2003 98 96 97 96 95 97 97 85 97 97 97 97 97 97 Vietnam 2005 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 * 100 100 100 100 99 100 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 83 63 74 76 68 77 75 60 72 74 80 76 71 74 Colombia 2005 63 48 55 50 46 59 55 23 65 59 54 52 47 54 Dominican Republic 2002 90 79 84 78 78 87 85 * 90 86 86 80 81 84 Guyana 2004 78 55 66 56 54 74 66 19 58 71 72 62 63 65 Honduras 2005 92 82 86 83 83 87 86 79 87 88 87 85 85 86 Nicaragua 2001 95 85 89 90 84 92 90 (61) 92 90 90 89 88 89 Peru 2004-05 84 73 78 75 73 80 78 62 72 80 78 77 79 78 Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
48

6.3 Differentials in Primary Abstinence in Young Men 

Individual Characteristics 

Among young men, primary abstinence is more common among those age 15-19 than those age 

20-24 and among those living in a rural area than those in an urban area (Table 6.4). In a majority of 

countries, young men with no education are more likely than educated young men to practice primary 

abstinence, except in Madagascar where education is positively associated with primary abstinence. 

Primary abstinence among young men is also strongly positively associated with being unemployed and 

not having regular exposure to two or more media sources. 
49

Table 6.4 Differentials in primary abstinence in young men, by individual characteristics 

Percentage of never-married young men who have never had sex, by selected individual characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Age Residence Education 

Currently 

employed 

Exposure to two or 

more media 

sources 

Country/year 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural None Primary Secondary+ Yes No Yes No Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 50 14 37 35 34 38 36 28 44 33 38 36 Burkina Faso 2003 74 33 40 69 68 59 50 58 67 46 69 61 Chad 2004 70 38 47 67 70 64 43 56 74 37 66 60 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 34 5 24 23 * 31 19 13 29 20 27 24 Ethiopia 2005 95 76 77 90 92 91 79 87 89 74 90 88 Ghana 2003 81 38 64 70 77 74 64 51 79 64 71 67 Guinea 2005 51 15 33 43 45 47 30 32 42 29 43 38 Kenya 2003 51 17 32 39 49 40 31 17 55 32 43 37 Lesotho 2004 55 18 41 42 38 46 35 30 46 35 44 42 Madagascar 2003 60 24 43 48 37 45 54 35 64 53 44 46 Malawi 2004 49 21 41 40 (18) 44 34 27 49 35 43 40 Mali 2001 67 26 38 62 56 61 40 51 55 42 63 52 Mozambique 2003 33 6 21 34 (35) 30 14 13 32 18 32 26 Nigeria 2003 76 45 64 61 87 70 56 57 65 58 67 62 Rwanda 2005 78 52 57 69 67 68 59 58 74 54 70 67 Senegal 2005 74 47 62 68 73 66 56 60 70 58 72 65 Tanzania 2004 53 17 39 42 48 39 45 27 59 33 47 41 Uganda 2004-05 60 25 41 52 65 60 51 35 61 44 53 50 Zambia 2001 37 11 19 35 (40) 33 21 21 35 20 33 28 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 87 33 61 73 * * 66 40 76 54 78 66 

Moldova 2005 57 9 34 46 - * 40 18 51 40 49 41 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 87 79 85 83 87 81 84 81 89 82 89 84 Philippines 2003 87 58 73 78 * 81 74 69 81 73 86 75 Vietnam 2005 98 92 94 97 (97) 94 96 94 99 96 96 96 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 61 17 45 50 * 60 41 40 56 45 54 47 Dominican Republic 2002 53 15 37 43 * 47 33 29 64 37 49 39 

Guyana 2004 62 20 41 52 * (48) 48 36 68 47 52 48 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 

- = no cases 
50

Household Characteristics 

Primary abstinence is higher among young men who live in a nuclear family than in a joint family 

in most countries, although this pattern is reversed in Armenia and Benin (Table 6.5). In Ethiopia, Ghana, 

Lesotho, and Moldova, the differential is weak. Primary abstinence, in general, is positively associated 

with living in a household with another young person or an adult. 

No clear pattern exists between primary abstinence in young men and the sex of the head of 

household. In about half the countries, the sex of the household head and levels of primary abstinence 

among young men show weak differentials. In some countries (such as Chad, Congo, Guyana, and 

Malawi), having a female head of household is associated with lower levels of primary abstinence among 

young men; in several other countries (such as Guinea, Mali, Mozambique, and Uganda), living in a 

female-headed household is associated with higher levels of abstinence. 

No clear pattern exists in most countries in the association between primary abstinence among 

young men and household wealth status. However, in a few countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in Latin 

America and the Caribbean, higher household wealth status is associated with lower rates of primary 

abstinence.
Table 6.5 Differentials in primary abstinence in young men, by household characteristics 

Percentage of never-married young men who have never had sex, by selected household characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Family type 

Other youth 

in household 

Femaleheaded

household

Adults in 

household Wealth status (quintiles) 

Country/year Nuclear Joint Yes No Yes No Yes No 

Lowest Sec- ond Middle Fourth High- est Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 34 37 38 20 35 36 37 22 39 36 29 35 38 36 Burkina Faso 2003 68 57 62 41 62 61 62 41 70 74 68 68 41 61 Cameroon 2004 54 44 50 29 47 47 50 27 65 60 50 39 38 47 Chad 2004 68 54 62 (44) 55 61 62 39 77 74 61 63 44 60 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 34 21 24 15 19 25 24 8 23 21 25 24 25 24 Ethiopia 2005 88 88 88 83 86 88 88 78 93 91 89 90 80 88 Ghana 2003 67 67 70 48 66 68 71 39 77 72 67 63 62 67 Guinea 2005 40 37 39 (24) 44 37 38 * 38 49 36 35 37 38 Kenya 2003 42 33 39 25 39 37 40 17 43 36 47 33 30 37 Lesotho 2004 41 42 43 27 40 43 42 29 42 38 42 45 40 42 Madagascar 2003 55 39 48 32 50 46 48 (13) 42 44 46 44 53 46 Malawi 2004 42 39 42 24 36 41 43 21 38 42 39 38 41 40 Mali 2001 59 47 52 50 57 52 53 (43) 57 75 54 55 37 52 Mozambique 2003 34 23 26 32 30 25 27 (9) 39 40 31 28 17 26 Nigeria 2003 69 57 65 42 58 63 63 51 58 72 68 63 53 62 Rwanda 2005 71 63 68 54 67 67 68 55 67 73 74 66 58 67 Senegal 2005 75 62 64 * 64 65 64 * 74 69 69 62 59 65 Tanzania 2004 48 37 43 20 43 40 43 (11) 45 45 41 39 36 41 Uganda 2004-05 53 48 51 35 54 48 52 28 58 54 50 48 45 50 Zambia 2001 35 26 29 (24) 27 29 29 (14) 30 38 36 20 24 28 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 63 70 68 56 66 66 66 * 77 79 65 62 47 66 Moldova 2005 40 42 43 36 42 40 43 (9) 55 42 43 39 30 41 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 86 82 84 78 80 84 84 * 84 88 79 85 83 84 Philippines 2003 79 71 76 72 71 77 76 (44) 84 82 71 75 70 75 Vietnam 2005 98 94 97 93 96 96 96 (91) 97 97 97 96 94 96 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 48 45 50 21 44 47 49 26 57 46 51 52 34 47 Dominican Republic 2002 42 37 40 33 38 40 41 25 43 41 36 32 45 39 Guyana 2004 55 41 48 46 39 53 49 * 46 58 54 48 36 48 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
52

6.4 Median Age at First Sexual Intercourse 

The median age at first sexual intercourse is presented in Table 6.6 for young women and men 

age 20-24. A majority of adolescent girls and boys age 15-19 have not had sex, so it is not possible to 

calculate a median for this group. In sub-Saharan African countries, young women start having sex earlier 

than young men, except in Kenya, Lesotho, and Senegal. In contrast, young women start having sex later 

than young men in Latin American and Caribbean countries and in Moldova. 
53

Table 6.6 Age at first intercourse 

Median age at first sexual intercourse among young women and young men age 20-24, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Country/year Young women Young men 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 17.2 17.3 

Burkina Faso 2003 17.5 19.2 

Cameroon 2004 16.7 18.0 

Chad 2004 15.9 18.8 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 16.2 16.3 

Eritrea 2002 18.3 n/a 

Ethiopia 2005 18.2 a 

Ghana 2003 18.4 19.6 

Guinea 2005 16.4 17.7 

Kenya 2003 18.1 16.6 

Lesotho 2004 18.7 18.1 

Madagascar 2003 17.3 17.8 

Malawi 2004 17.4 18.1 

Mali 2001 15.9 a 

Mozambique 2003 16.0 16.9 

Nigeria 2003 17.6 a 

Rwanda 2005 a a 

Senegal 2005 19.6 19.1 

Tanzania 2004 17.1 18.3 

Uganda 2004-05 17.1 18.3 

Zambia 2001 17.0 17.0 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 a 19.4 

Moldova 2005 19.6 17.9 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 n/a a 

Indonesia 2002-2003 a a 

Nepal 2001 16.9 19.0

Philippines 2003 a a 

Vietnam 2005 a a 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 18.7 17.1 

Colombia 2005 17.8 n/a 

Dominican Republic 2002 18.2 16.5 

Guyana 2004 18.4 17.8 

Honduras 2005 19.2 n/a 

Nicaragua 2001 18.1 n/a 

Peru 2004-05 a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently 

married men only. 

a = Data not shown because less than 50 percent of the sample had intercourse for the first time before age 20. 

n/a = not available 
54

6.5 Multiple Sexual Partnerships 

An understanding of the sexual behaviors of youth is a key component of efforts to mitigate 

negative reproductive outcomes and prevent infectious diseases (Table 6.7). Having multiple sexual 

partners is a known risk factor for STIs, including HIV infection (Mmbaga et al., 2007). 

Among young women who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who report having more 

than one sexual partner is low in the vast majority of countries, relative to the percentage of young men 

who report more than one sexual partner. The percentage of young women reporting multiple sexual 

partners ranges from less than 1 percent in Armenia and Vietnam to 13 percent in Congo. More than 5 

percent of young women in Cameroon (10 percent), Lesotho (9 percent), Mozambique (8 percent), and 

Colombia (8 percent) report having more than one sexual partner in the past 12 months. 

Reported levels of multiple partnerships in the past 12 months are much higher among young 

men than young women, ranging from 2 percent in Vietnam to 41 percent in Cameroon. In 21 of the 28 

countries with data on multiple sexual partners in young men, more than 20 percent of young men report 

having multiple partnerships in the past year.
55

Table 6.7 Multiple sexual partners among young people 

Among young women and young men who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who had more than one partner, 

DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Country/year Young women Total Young men Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 3 1,558 35 522 

Burkina Faso 2003 3 2,869 23 558 

Cameroon 2004 10 3,145 41 1,180 

Chad 2004 2 1,489 28 294 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 13 2,266 28 830 

Ethiopia 2005 1 1,212 5 446 

Ghana 2003 4 1,048 18 549 

Guinea 2005 4 1,591 33 659 

Kenya 2003 3 1,826 24 717 

Lesotho 2004 9 1,621 36 644 

Madagascar 2003 5 1,883 30 519 

Malawi 2004 2 3,594 13 658 

Mali 2001 3 3,537 23 472 

Mozambique 2003 8 3,637 39 795 

Nigeria 2003 4 1,986 25 301 

Rwanda 2005 1 1,287 4 343 

Senegal 2005 2 2,604 21 472 

Tanzania 2004 5 2,624 33 585 

Uganda 2004-05 5 2,455 28 1,368 

Zambia 2001 4 2,150 30 467 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 0 583 35 191 

Moldova 2005 5 1,100 29 404 

South/Southeast Asia 

Nepal 2001 n/a n/a 6 362 

Philippines 2003 n/a n/a 25 420 

Vietnam 2005 0 609 2 297 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 2 2,926 34 1,206 

Colombia 2005 8 7,696 n/a n/a 

Dominican Republic 2002 5 4,576 38 604 

Guyana 2004 4 436 19 312 

Honduras 2005 2 3,603 n/a n/a 

Nicaragua 2001 2 2,585 n/a n/a 

Peru 2004-05 1 1,532 n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. 

n/a = not available 
56

6.6 Differentials in Multiple Partnerships in Young Men 

Individual Characteristics 

Among young men who had sex in the past 12 months, those age 20-24 years are more likely to 

have multiple partnerships than those age 15-19 years in most sub-Saharan African countries (Table 6.8). 

However, young men age 20-24 in Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, and Rwanda are less likely to have multiple 

partners than their younger peers. Outside of sub-Saharan Africa, there is no clear age pattern in the 

percentages of young men reporting multiple partners in the past 12 months. 

In most countries, multiple partnerships among young men are positively associated with urban 

residence except in Guinea, Guyana, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Multiple partnerships are 

also more common among more educated young men in most countries. However, in Chad, Guinea, and 

Tanzania, the proportion of young men reporting multiple partnerships in the past 12 months is highest 

among the uneducated. 

For the most part, young men who are employed and who have regular exposure to two or more 

sources of media are more likely to engage in multiple partnerships. 
Table 6.8 Differentials in multiple partnerships in young men, by individual characteristics 

Among young men who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who had more than one partner, by selected individual characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05  Age Residence Education 

Currently 

employed 

Exposure to two or 

more media 

sources 

Country/year 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural None Primary Secondary+ Yes No Yes No Total Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 27 40 42 29 29 33 41 33 37 38 33 35 Burkina Faso 2003 20 25 36 17 14 30 36 25 19 32 18 23 Cameroon 2004 35 45 43 39 19 39 44 43 40 43 40 41 Chad 2004 25 29 43 20 36 12 35 27 32 40 23 28 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 22 34 31 24 * 25 30 35 23 32 25 28 Ethiopia 2005 4 5 7 4 3 4 8 5 1 6 5 5 Ghana 2003 16 19 25 12 12 14 20 18 18 20 15 18 Guinea 2005 32 35 32 35 37 29 33 34 32 32 34 33 Kenya 2003 24 24 29 23 (15) 28 18 26 19 21 28 24 Lesotho 2004 31 39 54 32 36 37 34 38 34 40 34 36 Madagascar 2003 26 32 37 27 24 26 42 30 27 43 26 30 Malawi 2004 14 13 10 14 (8) 15 11 13 13 17 12 13 Mali 2001 24 22 27 19 20 27 25 22 24 23 22 23 Mozambique 2003 36 43 45 33 26 39 46 42 36 43 37 39 Nigeria 2003 28 24 23 26 (6) 17 29 26 24 30 19 25 Rwanda 2005 5 4 5 4 5 5 (3) 4 5 2 5 4 Senegal 2005 19 22 24 17 19 18 25 23 18 23 19 21 Tanzania 2004 26 37 31 34 35 34 (25) 37 18 32 34 33 Uganda 2004-05 21 33 35 27 24 29 28 31 20 34 25 28 Zambia 2001 26 33 31 30 * 31 30 34 24 31 30 30 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 (17) 39 36 33 - - 35 41 26 43 20 35 Moldova 2005 34 25 34 24 0 56 29 23 35 31 16 29 

South/Southeast Asia 

Nepal 2001 8 6 (4) 6 (3) 6 8 6 4 8 5 6

Philippines 2003 33 23 28 22 * 7 32 22 38 29 10 25 Vietnam 2005 (0) 3 0 3 7 2 2 0 2 0 4 2 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 37 32 37 26 0 25 38 32 42 35 28 34 Dominican Republic 2002 40 37 41 33 * 35 42 36 52 42 17 38 Guyana 2004 18 20 17 20 * (17) 20 19 21 20 16 19 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married men only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. - = no cases 
58

Household Characteristics 

There are no consistent patterns between many of the household characteristics and multiple 

sexual partnerships reported by young men (Table 6.9). Young men in joint families in less than half of 

the countries included in this analysis are more likely to report multiple partnerships; in the other 

countries, this association is either reversed or not present. The associations with living in a household 

with other youth and in a female-headed household are similarly mixed. In the majority of countries, 

however, having an adult in the household and household wealth are positively associated with multiple 

partnerships in young men. 
Table 6.9 Differentials in multiple partnerships in young men, by household characteristics 

Among young men who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who had more than one partner, by selected household characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05  Family type 

Other youth 

in

household 

Femaleheaded

household 

Adults in 

household Wealth status (quintiles) 

Country/year Nuclear Joint Yes No Yes No Yes No 

Lowest Sec- ond Middle Fourth High- est Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 31 38 35 30 37 34 36 32 29 33 25 39 42 35 Burkina Faso 2003 16 28 23 (30) (36) 23 25 18 7 24 17 14 38 23 Cameroon 2004 40 42 42 41 43 41 43 38 33 35 43 43 45 41 Chad 2004 24 31 26 (41) (36) 27 31 19 * (14) (29) (14) 40 28 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 34 27 27 52 27 29 26 45 28 19 29 36 29 28 Ethiopia 2005 3 7 5 (7) 5 5 7 2 6 6 1 4 7 5 Ghana 2003 17 19 18 19 14 19 16 23 9 8 18 25 24 18 Guinea 2005 38 32 33 (48) 23 35 33 (46) 30 29 38 35 33 33 Kenya 2003 23 25 24 24 23 25 24 26 25 26 21 20 28 24 Lesotho 2004 40 35 34 46 38 34 35 46 40 29 38 35 37 36 Madagascar 2003 29 30 28 (47) 38 28 35 17 21 34 28 30 35 30 Malawi 2004 11 16 14 5 13 13 16 9 8 12 17 18 10 13 Mali 2001 20 25 23 (17) (33) 22 24 18 16 18 22 22 26 23 Mozambique 2003 31 43 39 (54) 47 38 41 32 27 32 38 40 47 39 Nigeria 2003 19 29 27 17 32 23 29 10 23 33 21 22 26 25 Rwanda 2005 4 4 4 (6) 7 4 6 3 5 6 5 1 6 4 Senegal 2005 16 22 21 * 20 21 21 * 21 13 19 12 32 21 Tanzania 2004 33 33 33 (38) 31 34 33 33 35 32 34 39 28 33 Uganda 2004-05 32 26 27 36 26 29 26 34 24 25 29 27 33 28 Zambia 2001 29 31 30 (34) 20 33 29 34 29 29 34 32 28 30 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 34 36 33 (42) (41) 33 37 * * (41) (37) (42) (26) 35 Moldova 2005 30 27 29 29 30 28 29 25 (21) 21 30 32 33 29 

South/Southeast Asia 

Nepal 2001 6 6 6 * (8) 6 6 7 1 8 7 3 14 6 

Philippines 2003 21 29 24 (47) 46 22 30 13 14 25 27 26 33 25 Vietnam 2005 7 1 2 (14) 0 1 3 0 1 1 0 2 0 2 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 33 35 32 45 43 32 40 19 22 30 26 33 48 34 Dominican Republic 2002 41 36 38 38 49 35 41 27 24 36 44 50 33 38 Guyana 2004 17 21 19 21 18 20 20 (10) (16) (10) 18 19 28 19 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married men only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on 

fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
60

6.7 Higher-Risk Sex 

Levels of reported higher-risk sex show wide variations within and across regions.

Within sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of young women reporting higher-risk sex ranges 

from 6 percent in Ethiopia and 7 percent in Chad to 60 percent in Congo (Table 6.10). In 10 of the 20 

countries in this region, at least 30 percent of young women report having higher-risk sex in the past 12 

months. Latin America and the Caribbean also shows wide intraregional variation; levels in Honduras, 

Nicaragua, and Peru are lower than 20 percent, whereas at least 40 percent of young women have had 

higher-risk sex in the past 12 months in Colombia and Guyana. In the other regions, only 0-1 percent of 

young women in Vietnam and Armenia, 6 percent in the Philippines, and 36 percent in Moldova report 

having higher-risk sex in the past 12 months. 
61

Table 6.10 Higher-risk sex and condom use during higher-risk sex 

Among young women and young men who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who had higher-risk sex, and among those 

who had higher-risk sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who used a condom at last higher-risk intercourse, DHS/AIS 2001-05

 Young women Young men 

Country/year 

Had

higherrisk sex 

in past 

12

months

Had sex 

in past 

12

months

Had

higherrisk sex 

and used 

condom

in past 12 

months

Had

higherrisk sex in 

past 12 

months 

Had

higherrisk sex 

in past 

12

months

Had sex 

in past 

12

months

Had

higherrisk sex 

and used 

condom in 

past 12 

months

Had

higherrisk sex in 

past 12 

months

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 36 1,556 19 563 90 522 34 470 

Burkina Faso 2003 23 2,869 54 655 78 558 67 436 

Cameroon 2004 44 3,145 46 1,390 91 1,180 57 1,069 

Chad 2004 7 1,489 17 106 76 294 25 223 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 60 2,266 20 1,350 94 830 38 778 

Ethiopia 2005 6 1,212 28 71 37 446 50 167 

Ghana 2003 50 1,048 33 522 83 549 52 458 

Guinea 2005 36 1,591 26 572 95 659 37 625 

Kenya 2003 30 1,826 25 547 84 717 47 605 

Lesotho 2004 42 1,621 50 709 89 644 53 574 

Madagascar 2003 31 1,883 5 583 72 519 12 373 

Malawi 2004 14 3,594 35 499 62 658 47 409 

Mali 2001 18 3,537 14 649 85 472 30 402 

Mozambique 2003 37 3,638 29 1,350 84 795 33 665 

Nigeria 2003 29 1,987 24 585 78 301 46 236 

Rwanda 2005 15 1,287 26 197 48 343 40 165 

Senegal 2005 11 2,604 36 282 91 472 52 429 

Tanzania 2004 29 2,624 39 759 83 585 46 484 

Uganda 2004-05 26 2,455 53 634 74 1,368 55 1,016 

Zambia 2001 30 2,150 33 660 86 467 42 402 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 0 583 * * 78 191 86 149 

Moldova 2005 36 1,100 44 391 83 404 63 337 

South/Southeast Asia 

Nepal 2001 n/a n/a n/a n/a 7 362 (52) 24

Philippines 2003 6 1,390 11 77 49 420 24 204 

Vietnam 2005 1 609 * 4 22 297 68 63 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 29 2,926 21 847 70 1,206 37 844 

Colombia 2005 47 7,697 37 3,691 n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Dominican Republic 2002 22 4,576 36 991 81 604 54 491 

Guyana 2004 40 436 62 176 81 312 68 251 

Honduras 2005 16 3,603 24 577 n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Nicaragua 2001 14 2,585 17 366 n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Peru 2004-05 12 1,532 25 185 n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 

unweighted cases; and asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 

n/a = not available 
62

Levels of reported higher-risk sex among young men are much higher than those of young 

women, ranging from 22 percent in Vietnam to 95 percent in Guinea (based on all-men surveys). In all 

but six countries, levels of higher-risk sex in the past 12 months among young men are higher than 75 

percent; the exceptions are Ethiopia (37 percent), Madagascar (72 percent), Malawi (62 percent), Rwanda 

(48 percent), Uganda (74 percent), and Vietnam (22 percent). Unlike young women, young men report 

high levels of higher-risk sex in all regions, except for South/Southeast Asia, where information on 

higher-risk sex among young men is only available for Nepal and Vietnam. Figure 6.2 highlights the 

differences between young women and men regarding multiple partnerships and higher-risk in selected 

countries.

Figure 6.2 Rates of multiple partnerships and higher-risk sex in the past 12 months, among young 

women and young men in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

10 8 5 2 5 4

41 39

29

34

38

19

44

37 36

29

22

40

91

84 83

70

81 81

Cameroon 2004 Mozambique 2003 Moldova 2005 Bolivia 2003 Dominican Republic 

2002

Guyana 2004

Women with multiple partners Men with multiple partners Women who had higher-risk sex Men who had higher-risk sex 
63

6.8 Condom Use with Higher-Risk Sexual Partners 

Condom use during sex is an effective method for avoiding pregnancy and infection from STIs. 

Among young women who had higher-risk sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who used a condom 

the last time they had higher-risk sex ranges from 5 percent in Madagascar to 62 percent in Guyana (see 

Table 6.10). In all countries, the majority of young women who had higher-risk sex in the past 12 months 

do not report using a condom, except in Uganda (53 percent), Burkina Faso (54 percent), and Guyana (62 

percent).

For the most part, young men are more likely to report using a condom at last higher-risk sex than 

young women. This is illustrated in Figure 6.3. The percentage of young men reporting condom use at 

last higher-risk sex ranges from 12 percent in Madagascar to 86 percent in Armenia. Although condom 

use during higher-risk sex is higher among young men than young women, the majority of young men in 

approximately half the countries with data on higher-risk sex report that they did not use a condom at last 

higher-risk sex. 

Figure 6.3 Condom use at last higher-risk sex in the past 12 months, among young women and 

young men in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

26 25

44

11

36

62

37

47

63

24

54

68

Guinea 2005 Kenya 2003 Moldova 2005 Philippines 2003 Dominican Republic 

2002

Guyana 2004

Women Men
64

6.9 Differentials in Higher-Risk Sex in Young Women 

Individual Characteristics 

Young women age 15-19 years, those who live in an urban area, and those who are more 

educated are more likely to report having engaged in higher-risk sex in the past 12 months (Table 6.11). 

Very few currently married young women report having higher-risk sex. More than 10 percent of 

currently married young women report having higher-risk sex in three countries: Cameroon (22 percent), 

Congo (13 percent), and Ghana (11 percent). In sub-Saharan Africa, unemployed young women are more 

likely to report having higher-risk sex than those who are currently working, except in Ethiopia, Kenya, 

and Senegal. However, this association is reversed in Latin America and the Caribbean, where employed 

young women in all countries are much more likely to report having higher-risk sex in the past 12 

months. Exposure to two or more media sources is strongly positively associated with reporting higherrisk sex in all countries. 
Table 6.11 Differentials in higher-risk sex in young women, by individual characteristics 

Among young women who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who had higher-risk sex, by selected individual characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05  Age Residence Education Marital status 

Currently 

employed 

Exposure to 

two or more 

media sources 

Country/year 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural None Primary 

Secondary+ Never married Currently married Formerly married Yes No Yes No Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 57 24 54 22 19 45 80 97 2 (59) 26 62 61 28 36 Burkina Faso 2003 37 13 52 13 13 40 66 100 2 (66) 19 41 52 14 23 Cameroon 2004 56 36 57 27 3 35 69 100 22 79 33 55 66 33 44 Chad 2004 10 5 18 4 4 7 30 89 3 35 5 13 27 6 7 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 79 46 65 52 30 56 65 100 13 99 48 70 68 56 60 Ethiopia 2005 7 5 26 3 3 7 26 100 1 17 8 5 26 5 6 Ghana 2003 72 38 62 40 20 42 63 99 11 (81) 40 70 66 36 50 Guinea 2005 47 24 56 25 22 52 75 100 9 (73) 32 47 59 31 36 Kenya 2003 47 21 33 29 6 29 44 100 3 54 31 29 43 24 30 Lesotho 2004 54 35 58 38 (28) 38 48 97 8 72 41 42 65 37 42 Madagascar 2003 43 23 41 28 26 28 43 98 3 73 26 45 43 28 31 Malawi 2004 28 8 22 12 5 12 28 99 1 30 11 18 30 11 14 Mali 2001 28 11 36 10 12 28 62 95 4 78 17 20 35 11 18 Mozambique 2003 50 27 56 23 16 41 76 99 6 80 28 55 66 31 37 Nigeria 2003 35 26 41 25 3 25 61 100 2 42 25 33 49 20 29 Rwanda 2005 53 10 36 12 11 15 38 100 0 24 13 23 44 13 15 Senegal 2005 14 9 18 7 5 18 43 99 7 (62) 13 10 13 9 11 Tanzania 2004 42 22 47 22 18 30 61 99 4 68 25 44 41 25 29 Uganda 2004-05 45 16 43 22 9 21 49 94 3 52 18 41 52 20 26 Zambia 2001 48 19 36 26 17 27 42 100 2 45 27 33 42 27 30 

North Africa/West Asia/ Europe 

Armenia 2005 0 0 1 0 - * 0 * 0 * 3 0 1 0 0 Moldova 2005 56 28 44 28 * * 36 99 8 62 37 35 38 22 36 

South/Southeast Asia 

Vietnam 2005 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 * 0 * 1 0 0 1 1 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 49 21 34 19 11 18 40 99 1 39 33 23 35 17 29 Colombia 2005 59 40 52 30 19 27 52 95 2 48 52 39 n/a n/a 47 Dominican Republic 2002 26 20 25 15 5 15 29 95 2 44 31 15 24 9 22 Guyana 2004 59 31 60 32 * 19 44 99 3 (71) 52 31 45 23 40 Honduras 2005 21 14 22 10 4 12 28 98 1 42 25 10 20 8 16 Nicaragua 2001 18 12 19 8 5 9 22 97 1 36 23 9 17 8 14 Peru 2004-05 13 11 15 7 * 4 15 27 1 46 13 9 15 9 12 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 

n/a = not available; - = no cases 
66

Household Characteristics 

For the most part, young women who live in a joint family are more likely to report engaging in 

higher-risk sex (Table 6.12). In Moldova, however, young women living in a nuclear family are more 

likely to have higher-risk sex than those living in a joint family. The association with having other youth 

in the household is fairly inconsistent in sub-Saharan Africa; in eight countries, young women who live 

with other youth are more likely to have higher-risk sex, whereas in four countries, the opposite occurs. In 

the remaining countries, living with another youth in the household shows a weak association. 

Among young women, reported higher-risk sex is also associated with living in a female-headed 

household and living in a household with at least one adult. Young women who are in the two highest 

wealth quintiles are most likely to report engaging in higher-risk sex. However, the percentage reporting 

higher-risk sex does not necessarily increase consistently with wealth status. 
Table 6.12 Differentials in higher-risk sex in young women, by household characteristics 

Among young women who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who had higher-risk sex, by selected household characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05  Family type 

Other youth 

in household 

Femaleheaded

household

Adults in 

household Wealth status (quintiles) 

Country/year Nuclear Joint Yes No Yes No Yes No 

Lowest Sec- ond Middle Fourth High- est Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 21 48 37 30 62 30 38 15 13 19 24 40 66 36 Burkina Faso 2003 12 33 24 10 56 20 25 5 12 10 13 20 49 23 Cameroon 2004 22 56 44 43 77 35 45 41 13 27 44 58 65 44 Chad 2004 4 11 7 2 25 5 8 5 3 4 3 7 17 7 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 30 69 60 43 82 52 61 36 48 52 62 63 71 60 Ethiopia 2005 4 9 6 6 19 4 6 4 2 4 2 4 17 6 Ghana 2003 39 60 49 55 69 37 53 35 28 42 47 53 75 50 Guinea 2005 23 44 37 20 63 31 37 (19) 19 18 34 49 53 36 Kenya 2003 16 42 30 31 49 22 32 19 21 26 31 35 33 30 Lesotho 2004 33 44 41 54 55 35 42 40 28 37 40 42 61 42 Madagascar 2003 19 47 30 38 64 25 37 14 25 28 29 34 39 31 Malawi 2004 7 24 14 19 38 9 16 8 13 8 9 13 28 14 Mali 2001 9 35 19 7 35 16 19 4 9 9 9 16 40 18 Mozambique 2003 22 46 37 35 61 30 41 18 17 26 22 42 64 37 Nigeria 2003 21 42 30 29 72 23 30 20 17 20 22 36 53 29 Rwanda 2005 6 33 16 12 49 9 19 6 12 13 10 15 28 15 Senegal 2005 10 11 11 (13) 19 9 11 * 6 10 13 11 18 11 Tanzania 2004 13 40 29 27 52 23 31 18 22 18 24 28 48 29 Uganda 2004-05 13 35 26 26 47 19 27 19 22 19 19 23 40 26 Zambia 2001 16 40 30 25 58 24 32 21 29 23 26 34 40 30 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 0 0 0 (0) 1 0 0 * 0 0 0 1 0 0 Moldova 2005 40 30 29 60 52 29 36 31 24 26 30 38 49 36 

South/Southeast Asia

Vietnam 2005 2 0 1 * 1 1 1 (0) 0 0 0 1 4 1 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 21 38 28 50 54 24 34 13 15 19 21 30 56 29 Colombia 2005 38 53 45 64 67 38 50 27 27 34 44 56 70 47 Dominican Republic 2002 12 31 21 28 40 15 23 16 11 13 20 30 41 22 Guyana 2004 31 45 39 (57) 59 28 41 (38) 32 37 35 49 48 40 Honduras 2005 8 22 16 20 32 12 19 6 8 11 14 19 31 16 Nicaragua 2001 8 17 14 17 24 9 15 9 5 12 11 16 27 14 Peru 2004-05 8 14 12 15 17 11 13 5 7 8 11 14 20 12 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
68

6.10 Differentials in Higher-Risk Sex in Young Men 

Individual Characteristics 

As in young women, reported higher-risk sex in young men is strongly associated with being 

younger, living in an urban area, and having more education (Table 6.13). In 16 of the 28 countries with 

data on higher-risk sex, 20 percent or more of currently married young men report engaging in sex with a 

nonspousal, noncohabiting partner in the past 12 months. The percentage of currently married young men 

who report nonspousal sex is highest in Senegal (74 percent), followed by Guinea (68 percent), Cameroon 

(63 percent), and Congo (53 percent). The vast majority of formerly married young men also report 

engaging in higher-risk sex. Engaging in higher-risk sex is positively associated with unemployment in 

young men in all regions, including countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, where a reversed 

pattern is observed for young women. In most countries, regular exposure of young men to two or more 

media sources is positively associated with having engaged in higher-risk sex in the past 12 months. 
Table 6.13 Differentials in higher-risk sex in young men, by individual characteristics 

Among young men who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who had higher-risk sex, by selected individual characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Age Residence Education Marital status 

Currently 

employed 

Exposure

to two or 

more

media

sources 

 Country/year 15-19 20-24 Urban Rural None Primary 

Secon

-dary+ 

Never

married 

Currently 

married 

Formerly 

married Yes No Yes No Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 98 85 94 87 79 92 98 99 46 * 85 99 96 86 90 Burkina Faso 2003 98 68 95 70 66 90 93 100 16 * 76 87 91 70 78 Cameroon 2004 97 87 95 82 (53) 88 95 100 63 91 85 98 95 84 91 Chad 2004 97 63 90 68 75 64 89 99 27 * 74 92 90 70 76 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 99 89 95 91 * 93 94 100 53 (100) 88 99 97 91 94 Ethiopia 2005 68 31 77 28 15 35 74 99 4 * 30 88 76 30 37 Ghana 2003 98 77 88 79 62 76 88 100 34 (83) 78 99 88 76 83 Guinea 2005 100 91 98 91 88 93 99 100 68 (96) 90 100 97 93 95 Kenya 2003 97 77 85 84 (79) 83 87 100 18 * 80 97 86 82 84 Lesotho 2004 97 83 97 88 76 91 90 98 36 * 87 90 96 87 89 Madagascar 2003 89 63 83 69 63 69 87 100 22 * 66 100 85 69 72 Malawi 2004 95 45 74 59 (45) 61 69 98 12 (70) 51 88 72 57 62 Mali 2001 98 79 93 79 80 82 98 99 29 * 82 97 91 78 85 Mozambique 2003 96 69 94 71 60 83 95 100 42 * 72 97 95 77 84 Nigeria 2003 94 72 86 74 (16) 59 91 99 3 * 63 96 87 67 78 Rwanda 2005 96 38 76 42 31 48 (81) 99 1 * 48 48 77 41 48 Senegal 2005 98 86 96 85 78 94 98 100 74 (100) 87 98 97 85 91 Tanzania 2004 98 74 84 82 72 83 (90) 100 37 * 80 96 88 79 83 Uganda 2004-05 92 63 89 71 39 72 83 98 28 77 67 92 86 67 74 Zambia 2001 97 77 90 83 * 84 89 100 35 * 79 99 93 82 86 

North Africa/West Asia/ Europe 

Armenia 2005 (100) 73 84 67 - - 78 98 (20) - 74 84 83 68 78 Moldova 2005 96 74 82 85 - * 83 97 18 * 74 93 84 78 83 

South/Southeast Asia 

Nepal 2001 8 6 (4) 7 (3) 6 8 - 6 * 6 * 9 5 7

Philippines 2003 80 40 50 47 * 32 55 100 3 * 38 85 54 26 49 Vietnam 2005 52 16 54 16 * 11 27 100 2 - 19 * 25 18 22 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 89 60 74 60 - 49 79 99 3 97 63 95 73 59 70 Dominican Republic 2002 94 73 82 81 * 75 89 100 23 (72) 79 97 84 69 81 Guyana 2004 96 71 87 77 * (66) 82 100 15 * 76 100 80 (83) 81 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married men only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. - = no cases 
70

Household Characteristics 

Reported higher-risk sex among young men, as in women, is associated with living in a joint 

family (Table 6.14). However, in Ethiopia, Guinea, Guyana, Lesotho, and Senegal, the association is 

weak. In contrast with the pattern observed for young women, living in a household without other youth 

is associated with higher-risk sex among young men, with the notable exception of Senegal. As in 

women, in most countries, living in a female-headed household and living in a household with at least one 

adult is associated with higher-risk sex among young men, and young men in the highest wealth category 

are most likely to report having higher-risk sex, but there is no clear relationship at lower wealth status 

categories. 
Table 6.14 Differentials in higher-risk sex in young men, by household characteristics 

Among young men who had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who had higher-risk sex, by selected household characteristics, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

 Family type 

Other youth 

 in household 

Femaleheaded

household

Adults in 

household Wealth status (quintiles) 

Country/year Nuclear Joint Yes No Yes No Yes No 

Lowest Sec- ond Middle Fourth High- est Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 82 97 89 95 99 88 97 66 85 81 91 91 98 90 Burkina Faso 2003 68 85 77 (92) (98) 77 89 35 56 64 72 85 95 78 Cameroon 2004 80 94 90 94 95 90 94 80 70 78 92 95 97 91 Chad 2004 69 81 75 (86) (95) 74 88 44 * (45) (84) (67) 89 76 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 85 96 93 100 97 93 96 71 91 90 91 98 97 94 Ethiopia 2005 37 38 36 (82) 64 33 60 10 22 28 24 38 65 37 Ghana 2003 79 89 82 86 92 81 91 67 72 78 82 89 91 83 Guinea 2005 96 94 95 (100) 97 94 96 (78) 96 89 93 95 97 95 Kenya 2003 79 88 83 92 94 81 92 64 77 86 84 86 86 84 Lesotho 2004 91 89 88 100 94 87 90 78 79 87 93 89 94 89 Madagascar 2003 56 88 71 (83) 87 70 90 31 65 69 78 64 84 72 Malawi 2004 47 78 60 80 86 57 85 30 48 59 52 65 81 62 Mali 2001 78 91 85 (87) (96) 85 94 39 73 77 81 84 95 85 Mozambique 2003 73 88 83 (97) 93 81 92 50 50 70 84 93 97 84 Nigeria 2003 69 86 75 94 96 75 90 37 65 69 60 94 94 78 Rwanda 2005 33 74 45 (77) 92 36 78 17 39 42 31 46 81 48 Senegal 2005 93 91 91 * 93 90 91 * 75 87 94 95 97 91 Tanzania 2004 75 86 82 (88) 83 83 87 63 77 81 83 86 85 83 Uganda 2004-05 70 76 72 89 82 72 81 57 60 68 71 74 86 74 Zambia 2001 73 92 86 (91) 89 85 94 57 86 76 80 88 96 86 

North Africa/West Asia/ Europe 

Armenia 2005 85 70 75 (93) (89) 75 84 * (57) (79) (82) (86) (74) 78 Moldova 2005 88 75 78 95 88 81 89 53 (78) 89 85 83 82 83 

South/Southeast Asia 

Nepal 2001 6 7 6 * * 6 7 7 1 8 8 4 13 7

Philippines 2003 45 52 47 (73) 67 46 60 16 27 39 49 57 67 49 Vietnam 2005 40 17 17 * 31 20 23 (4) 7 17 20 (31) 58 22 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 67 74 66 91 84 67 83 37 56 58 61 71 91 70 Dominican Republic 2002 78 85 79 91 90 79 88 57 73 72 78 91 96 81 Guyana 2004 81 80 77 97 89 75 85 (46) (77) (69) 80 84 87 81 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married men only. Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on 

fewer than 25 unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
72

6.11 Age Mixing in Sexual Relationships 

Of the 22 countries with information on age mixing with higher-risk sex partners, only in Chad 

(29 percent), Nigeria (12 percent), and Senegal (18 percent), did more than 10 percent of adolescent girls 

age 15-19 who had higher-risk sex in the past 12 months report having higher-risk sex with a man 10 

years or more older than them (Table 6.15). 

Table 6.15 Age mixing in sexual relationships among adolescent girls 

Percentage of adolescent girls age 15-19 who had higher-risk sex in the past 12 months with a man who was 10 or more years 

older than them, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Country/year 

Had higher-risk sex in last 12 

months with a man 10 or more 

years older 

Number who had higher-risk sex in 

the past 12 months 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Cameroon 2004 3 720 

Chad 2004 29 61 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 1 727 

Ethiopia 2005 (1) 29 

Ghana 2003 5 262 

Guinea 2005 6 819 

Kenya 2003 4 289 

Lesotho 2004 7 323 

Malawi 2004 2 302 

Mozambique 2003 3 796 

Nigeria 2003 12 283 

Rwanda 2005 5 151 

Senegal 2005 18 128 

Tanzania 2004 6 446 

Uganda 2004-05 10 371 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 * 0 

Moldova 2005 4 157 

South/Southeast Asia 

Vietnam 2005 * 4 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Colombia 2005 0 1,611 

Dominican Republic 2002 0 404 

Guyana 2004 8 87 

Honduras 2005 1 253 

Note: Figures in parentheses are based on 25-49 unweighted cases; an asterisk indicates that a figure is based on fewer than 25

unweighted cases and has been suppressed. 
73

7 HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes, and Other STIs 

HIV among youth needs to be a focus of attention as an estimated 40 percent of new infections 

occur among young people (age 15-24) (United Nations Population Fund, 2007) and AIDS is one of the 

major causes of mortality in this population (United Nations, 2005). This chapter describes levels of 

knowledge about HIV prevention methods, attitudes toward people living with HIV, rates of HIV testing, 

and prevalence of STIs or STI symptoms among young women and men. 

7.1 Ever Heard of HIV/AIDS 

Table 7.1 shows the percentage of young women and men who have ever heard of HIV/AIDS. In 

the vast majority of countries, nearly all respondents have heard of HIV/AIDS, except in South/Southeast 

Asia. Among young women, levels are less than 85 percent in Bangladesh (70 percent), Bolivia (81 

percent), Chad (77 percent), Egypt (84 percent), Indonesia (66 percent), Madagascar (75 percent), and 

Nepal (54 percent). Among young men, only three countries have levels below 85 percent; these are Chad 

(84 percent), Madagascar (83 percent), and Indonesia (79 percent). 
74

Table 7.1 Ever heard of HIV/AIDS 

Percentage of young women and young men who have ever heard of HIV/AIDS, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

 Young women Young men 

Country/year Total Number Total Number 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 95 2,448 97 905 

Burkina Faso 2003 94 5,050 94 1,440 

Cameroon 2004 98 4,936 99 2,177 

Chad 2004 77 2,432 84 672 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 99 3,060 98 1,180 

Eritrea 2002 97 3,456 n/a n/a 

Ethiopia 2005 90 5,813 95 2,399 

Ghana 2003 98 2,160 99 1,791 

Guinea 2005 97 2,800 97 1,146 

Kenya 2003 98 3,547 99 1,537 

Lesotho 2004 92 3,173 92 1,250 

Madagascar 2003 75 2,919 83 832 

Malawi 2004 98 5,262 99 1,237 

Mali 2001 91 4,904 97 1,131 

Mozambique 2003 95 4,910 98 1,076 

Nigeria 2003 85 3,210 95 880 

Rwanda 2005 100 4,938 100 2,048 

Senegal 2005 96 6,400 96 1,571 

Tanzania 2004 98 4,252 98 1,130 

Uganda 2004-05 99 4,118 99 3,332 

Zambia 2001 99 3,476 97 804 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 93 2,253 87 528 

Egypt 2005 84 3,772 n/a n/a

Jordan 2002 98 886 n/a n/a

Morocco 2003 90 6,306 n/a n/a 

Moldova 2005 98 2,541 98 686 

South/Southeast Asia 

Bangladesh 2004 70 3,800 88 1,482 

Indonesia 2002-2003 66 4,832 79 437

Nepal 2001 54 2,599 87 364

Philippines 2003 94 4,856 95 1,702 

Vietnam 2005 92 2,471 94 2,406 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 81 7,007 90 2,160 

Colombia 2005 98 13,248 n/a n/a 

Dominican Republic 2002 99 8,698 99 1,020 

Guyana 2004 98 842 98 658 

Honduras 2005 97 8,239 87 528 

Nicaragua 2001 92 5,546 n/a n/a 

Peru 2004-05 92 4,241 n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes 

currently married men only. 

n/a = not available 
75

7.2 Knowledge of HIV Prevention Methods 

One of the most widely known strategies to prevent HIV infection is the “ABC” approach: 

abstinence from sex (A); being faithful to one uninfected, faithful partner (B); and correct and consistent 

use of condoms (C). Below, levels of knowledge of each of these components among young women and 

men are outlined. 

Knowledge of Abstinence (A) 

Among young women who have heard of HIV/AIDS, knowledge that abstinence reduces the risk 

of contracting HIV ranges widely, from 48 percent in Mozambique to 92 percent in Tanzania (Table 7.2). 

In sub-Saharan Africa, there are 9 countries (of the 16 with data) in which more than 20 percent of young 

women do not know that abstaining from sex can prevent HIV infection. Levels of knowledge about 

abstinence are similar among young men in sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from 25 percent in Mali to 90 

percent in Guinea. For the most part, knowledge of abstinence as an HIV prevention method is higher 

among young men than among young women. 

Knowledge of Being Faithful (B) 

The percentage of young women who know that having sex only with one uninfected, faithful 

partner can reduce the risk of contracting HIV ranges from 45 percent in Indonesia to 93 percent in 

Senegal. As with knowledge of abstinence, the majority of youth in all countries know that being faithful 

to one uninfected, faithful partner can reduce the risk of HIV transmission, but wide inter- and 

intraregional variations exist. For example, in South/Southeast Asia, levels of knowledge about being 

faithful among young women range from 45 percent in Indonesia to 88 percent in Vietnam. In subSaharan Africa, this percentage ranges from 47 percent in Mali to 90 percent in Uganda, 91 percent in 

Tanzania, and 93 percent in Senegal. In general, women are slightly more likely to know about being 

faithful than about abstinence. Among young men, knowledge levels about being faithful are similar to 

those among young women. 

Knowledge of Condom Use (C) 

As with knowledge of the relationship between HIV/AIDS and abstinence and being faithful, 

knowledge that using condoms can reduce the risk of HIV infection varies widely both within and across 

regions among young women and men. Among young women, the knowledge of condom use as a 

prevention method is particularly low in Egypt (27 percent) and Jordan (28 percent), followed by 

Indonesia (35 percent) and Chad (37 percent). In contrast, such knowledge among young women is 80 

percent or higher in the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Lesotho, Moldova, Rwanda, and Vietnam. Within 

sub-Saharan Africa, in 12 of the 21 countries, less than 70 percent of young women mention that condom 

use can reduce HIV transmission. Young women in Latin America and the Caribbean have higher 

knowledge of condom use as an HIV prevention method than in other regions. 

Knowledge of condom use as an HIV prevention method is generally higher among young men 

than among young women. Among young men, knowledge that condom use reduces the risk of HIV 

transmission is above 60 percent in all countries, except in Benin (55 percent), Mali (58 percent), and 

Indonesia (47 percent). 
Table 7.2 Knowledge of HIV prevention 

Among young women and young men, percentage who, in response to a prompted question, know that people can reduce the risk of contracting AIDS by abstaining from sex, limiting sex to one faithful, uninfected partner, and by using condoms, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

Young women Young men 

Country/year 

Abstaining

from sex 

Limiting sex 

to one 

faithful,

uninfected

partner 

Using

condoms

Knowledge 

of all threea Total 

Abstaining

from sex 

Limiting sex 

to one 

faithful,

uninfected

partner 

Using

condoms

Knowledge 

of all threea Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 n/a 52 47 n/a 2,322 n/a 58 55 n/a 878Burkina Faso 2003 n/a 64 52 n/a 4,742 50 71 65 36 1,347Cameroon 2004 79 83 73 56 4,826 83 85 84 66 2,155Chad 2004 67 68 37 26 1,863 80 86 68 56 567Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 73 78 70 53 3,040 79 82 82 64 1,154Eritrea 2002 n/a 86 64 n/a 3,341 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/aEthiopia 2005 71 73 53 39 5,244 82 80 69 55 2,287Ghana 2003 81 88 78 65 2,125 83 89 82 68 1,767Guinea 2005 85 89 77 67 2,712 90 90 84 74 1,117Kenya 2003 78 79 60 52 3,486 87 85 69 64 1,526Lesotho 2004 83 86 81 65 2,928 80 78 76 56 1,156Madagascar 2003 66 74 65 53 2,190 63 79 68 52 688Malawi 2004 71 66 59 42 5,176 88 78 76 59 1,226Mali 2001 n/a 47 46 26 4,441 25 54 58 31 1,095Mozambique 2003 48 55 59 37 4,683 66 67 75 55 1,059Nigeria 2003 53 68 51 36 2,725 66 76 66 50 838Rwanda 2005 81 85 80 62 4,929 88 85 89 71 2,045Senegal 2005 88 93 74 68 6,116 86 89 74 65 1,511Tanzania 2004 92 91 78 71 4,182 88 83 80 64 1,109Uganda 2004-05 88 90 72 62 4,056 87 89 82 68 3,290Zambia 2001 n/a 79 68 n/a 3,437 n/a 81 71 n/a 778

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 78 78 69 59 2,105 83 89 82 71 462Egypt 2005 49 75 27 17 3,156 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Jordan 2002 n/a 57 28 n/a 870 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Morocco 2003 n/a 62 44 n/a 5,667 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/aMoldova 2005 66 83 81 54 2,482 14 91 92 78 671

South/Southeast Asia 

Indonesia 2002-2003 n/a 45 35 n/a 3,182 n/a 58 47 n/a 347

Nepal 2001 n/a 76 72 n/a 1,408 n/a 89 92 n/a 316Philippines 2003 n/a 77 47 n/a 4,571 n/a 76 63 n/a 1,613Vietnam 2005 57 88 85 51 2,267 68 90 92 63 2,262

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 n/a 74 72 n/a 5,662 n/a 72 82 n/a 1,940Dominican Republic 2002 n/a 88 85 n/a 8,625 n/a 83 89 n/a 1,007Guyana 2004 90 90 84 74 821 88 91 87 75 648Honduras 2005 77 89 75 57 7,966 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/aNicaragua 2001 n/a 76 62 n/a 5,102 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married respondents only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently married men only. 

a Abstaining from sex, limiting sex to one faithful, uninfected partner, and using condoms. 

n/a = not available 
77

Knowledge of Abstinence, Being Faithful, and Condom Use (ABC) 

There are large variations both within and across regions in the percentage of young women who 

know that abstinence, being faithful, and using condoms can all reduce the risk of HIV transmission 

(knowledge of ABC). Young women in Egypt have the lowest percentage (17 percent) knowing all three 

prevention methods, while Guyana has the highest (74 percent). 

With the exceptions of Lesotho, Madagascar, Senegal, and Tanzania, levels of knowledge of all 

three prevention methods are slightly higher among young men than among young women (see Figure 

7.1). In comparison to young women, there are only two countries where knowledge of all three methods 

is lower than 50 percent among young men. These are Burkina Faso (36 percent) and Mali (31 percent).

Figure 7.1 Knowledge that abstaining from sex, being faithful to one uninfected sexual partner, 

and using condoms can reduce the risk of HIV transmission among young women and young men 

in selected countries, DHS/AIS 2001-05 

52

42

26

54 51

59

64

59

31

78

63

71

Kenya 2003 Malawi 2004 Mali 2001 Moldova 2005 Vietnam 2005 Armenia 2005

Women Men
78

7.3 Accepting Attitudes toward People Living with HIV in 

Young Women 

Among young women who have ever heard of HIV/AIDS, there are wide inter- and intraregional 

variations in the percentage that would be willing to care for a relative with HIV at home. For example, in 

sub-Saharan Africa, this percentage ranges from 42 percent in Benin to 93 percent in Malawi (Table 7.3). 

Overall, the levels of this accepting attitude are higher among young women in sub-Saharan Africa and in 

Latin America and the Caribbean than in South/Southeast Asia or North Africa/West Asia/Europe. 

Young women and men were also asked in a number of surveys if they would buy vegetables 

from a vendor with AIDS. In general, the proportions of young women willing to buy vegetables from an 

infected vendor are lower than those willing to care for an infected relative at home. In 15 out of the 22 

countries with available data, a majority of young women would not buy vegetables from an infected 

vegetable vendor. 

The majority of young women in 12 of the 26 countries prefer that an HIV-positive teacher not be 

allowed to continue teaching. 

Young women were also asked if they would not want the status of an HIV-positive family 

member be kept a secret. The percentage of young women not wanting to keep the status of an HIVpositive family member a secret ranges from 30 percent in Senegal and 31 percent in Guinea to 80 percent 

in Benin and 81 percent in Eritrea, with the majority of young women in 23 out of the 33 countries with 

available data expressing this accepting attitude. 

In general, young women are more willing to take care of an HIV-positive relative at home than 

to have accepting attitudes on any of the other indicators. 

Overall, only a small proportion of young women in any region express accepting attitudes 

toward people with HIV on all four measures, showing that HIV-related stigma among young women 

remains a substantial problem. In all countries with data on all four measures, the percentage of young 

women having accepting attitudes on all four measures is below 30 percent, with the exception of 

Rwanda (44 percent).
Table 7.3 Accepting attitudes toward persons living with HIV among young women 

Among young women who have heard of HIV/AIDS, the percentage reporting accepting attitudes toward people living with HIV, DHS/AIS 2001-05 Country/year 

Willing to care for 

relative with HIV 

at home 

Would buy 

vegetables from a 

vendor with AIDS 

Believe that an HIVpositive female teacher 

should be allowed to 

continue teaching 

Would not want HIVpositive status of a family 

member to remain secret 

Accepting attitude on all 

four measures 

Number who 

have heard of 

HIV/AIDS

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 42 n/a n/a 80 n/a 2,322 Burkina Faso 2003 74 n/a n/a 38 n/a 4,742 Cameroon 2004 71 45 52 36 10 4,826 Chad 2004 75 28 60 51 9 1,863 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 76 43 52 78 5 3,040 Eritrea 2002 72 n/a n/a 81 n/a 3,341 Ethiopia 2005 64 26 49 65 14 5,244 Ghana 2003 71 30 44 54 10 2,125 Guinea 2005 44 9 23 31 2 2,712 Kenya 2003 82 60 55 55 25 3,486 Lesotho 2004 85 52 55 70 28 2,928 Madagascar 2003 57 n/a 27 48 n/a 2,190 Malawi 2004 93 67 67 n/a n/a 5,176 Mali 2001 66 n/a 45 73 n/a 4,441 Mozambique 2003 81 34 62 42 9 4,683 Nigeria 2003 44 21 24 55 3 2,725 Rwanda 2005 92 66 73 77 44 4,929 Senegal 2005 72 26 39 30 4 6,116 Tanzania 2004 87 45 72 50 20 4,182 Uganda 2004-05 84 59 60 58 16 4,056 Zambia 2001 88 34a n/a 56 n/a 3,437 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 15 7 11 58 1 2,105 Egypt 2005 29 12 10 48 1 3,156 

Jordan 2002 67 n/a n/a 52 n/a 870Morocco 2003 69 n/a n/a 68 n/a 5,667 Moldova 2005 74 13 33 70 2 2,482 

South/Southeast Asia 

Indonesia 2002-2003 50 n/a n/a 54 n/a 3,182 Philippines 2003 38 n/a 16 74 n/a 4,571 Vietnam 2005 93 58 62 50 27 2,267 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 68 n/a n/a 37 n/a 5,662 Colombia 2005 71 n/a n/a n/a n/a 12,993 Dominican Republic 2002 81 n/a n/a 53 n/a 8,625 Guyana 2004 84 51 63 51 17 821 Honduras 2005 76 44 56 49 15 7,966 Nicaragua 2001 65 n/a 43 40 n/a 5,102 Peru 2004-05 72 n/a 60 n/a n/a 3,905 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only n/a = not available 

a Refers to food items 
80

7.4 Accepting Attitudes toward People Living with HIV in Young Men 

Young men are asked in the surveys if they would be willing to care for a relative with HIV at home. 

There are large inter- and intraregional variations in the percentage of young men willing to care for an HIVinfected relative at home, ranging from 13 percent in Chad to 97 percent in Vietnam (Table 7.4). In 19 of the 

28 countries with data on this topic, at least 70 percent of young men report accepting attitudes on this 

indicator. Although three of the four regions show wide intraregional variation on this indicator, all Latin 

American and Caribbean countries have levels close to or higher than 70 percent. 

In 13 of the 21 countries with data on willingness to purchase vegetables from a vendor with AIDS, a 

majority of young men do not express an accepting attitude on this indicator. Only in Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, 

and Uganda would at least 70 percent of young men be willing to buy vegetables from a vegetable vendor with 

AIDS.

The percentage of young men who believe that an HIV-positive female teacher should be allowed to 

continue teaching ranges widely, from just 6 percent in Armenia to 74 percent in Malawi and 75 percent in 

Rwanda. In 11 of the 24 countries with data on this topic, less than 50 percent of young men have an accepting 

attitude on this indicator. 

At least 50 percent of young men in 20 of the 28 countries with data on this topic would not want the 

status of an HIV-positive family member to remain a secret. Within sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of 

young men with an accepting attitude on this indicator ranges from only 10 percent in Chad to 75 percent in 

Benin, 76 percent in Ethiopia, and 77 percent in Madagascar. Overall, as with young women, young men are 

more likely to be willing to take care of an HIV-positive relative at home than to have an accepting attitude on 

any of the other indicators. 

A large majority of young men do not have accepting attitudes toward people infected with HIV on all 

four indicators. The percentage of young men having accepting attitudes on all four indicators ranges from 0 

percent in Armenia to 47 percent in Rwanda. In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 20 percent of young men have 

accepting attitudes on all four indicators in only five countries: Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and 

Uganda. Overall, young men are more accepting of people living with HIV than young women. 
Table 7.4 Accepting attitudes toward persons living with HIV among young men 

Among young men who have heard of HIV/AIDS, the percentage reporting accepting attitudes toward people living with HIV, DHS/AIS 2001-05 Country/year 

Willing to care 

for relative with 

HIV at home 

Would buy 

vegetables from a 

vendor with AIDS 

Believe that an HIVpositive female teacher 

should be allowed to 

continue teaching 

Would not want HIVpositive status of a family 

member to remain secret 

Accepting attitude on all 

four measures 

Number who 

have heard 

of HIV/AIDS 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 49 n/a n/a 75 n/a 878 Burkina Faso 2003 74 n/a 50a 62 n/a 1,347 

Cameroon 2004 82 54 57 52 19 2,155 Chad 2004 13 5 48 10 3 567 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 88 60 51 44 17 1,154 Ethiopia 2005 72 31 55 76 19 2,287 Ghana 2003 72 37 50 61 14 1,767 Guinea 2005 70 25 38 67 6 1,117 Kenya 2003 85 70 53 66 32 1,526 Lesotho 2004 76 44 45 69 20 1,156 Madagascar 2003 54 n/a 23 77 n/a 688 Malawi 2004 96 82 74 51 29 1,226 Mali 2001 78 n/a 48 74 n/a 1,095 Mozambique 2003 82 46 69 50 16 1,059 Nigeria 2003 37 66 21 66 6 838 Rwanda 2005 94 76 75 72 47 2,045 Senegal 2005 81 32 43 40 8 1,511 Tanzania 2004 87 46 67 58 25 1,109 Uganda 2004-05 85 70 63 48 24 3,290 Zambia 2001 87 46 n/a 65 n/a 778 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 15 5 6 46 0 462 Moldova 2005 53 12 27 36 2 671 

South/Southeast Asia 

Indonesia 2002-2003 50 n/a n/a 59 n/a 347

Philippines 2003 34 n/a 14 75 n/a 1,613 Vietnam 2005 97 61 62 45 27 2,262 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 67 38 44 51 13 1,940 Dominican Republic 2002 73 n/a n/a 68 n/a 1,007 Guyana 2004 79 43 55 46 15 648 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married men only. For Indonesia, the sample includes currently married men only. 

a Survey respondents were asked if they would be willing to work with someone with HIV 

n/a = not available 
82

7.5 HIV Testing and Receipt of Results 

Voluntary counseling and testing for HIV is regarded as an effective means to combat the HIV 

epidemic. Table 7.5 shows that a large majority of young women and men have never been tested for HIV 

in all countries across all regions. Among young women, there are only three countries (the Dominican 

Republic, Guyana, and Moldova) where more than 20 percent have ever been tested for HIV. Among 

young men, only in Moldova, more than 20 percent have ever been tested. Among young women, ever 

testing rates for HIV are 5 percent or less in 11 of the 27 countries with data, and among young men, rates 

are 5 percent or less in 14 of the 26 countries with data. 

HIV testing rates in the past 12 months among young women and young men who had sex in the 

past 12 months are even lower. Except in Guyana, Kenya, Moldova, and Rwanda, less than 10 percent of 

young women in all countries have been tested for HIV and received their test results. In 11 of the 19 

countries with data on this topic, only 4 percent or less of young women who had sex in the past 12 

months have been tested and received their test results. 

Similarly, among young men who had sex in the past 12 months, recent testing rates are higher 

than 10 percent only in Rwanda (16 percent), Guyana (15 percent), and Moldova (12 percent), and in 13 

of the 22 countries with available data, only 4 percent or less of young men were tested and received 

results.
83

Table 7.5 HIV testing and receipt of results 

Percentage of young women and young men who have ever been tested for HIV and, among young women and young men who 

had sex in the past 12 months, the percentage who were tested for HIV in the past 12 months and received the test results, 

DHS/AIS 2001-05 

 Young women Young men 

 

Had sex in past 

12 months 

Had sex in past 

12 months 

Country/year 

Ever

tested Total 

Tested in past 

12 months and 

received

results Total 

Ever

tested Total 

Tested in past 

12 months and 

received

results Total 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 5 2,448 n/a 1,556 5 905 n/a n/a 

Burkina Faso 2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a 5 1,440 4 558 

Cameroon 2004 17 4,936 6 3,145 8 2,177 6 1,180 

Chad 2004 2 2,432 1 1,489 3 673 3 294 

Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 7 3,060 3 2,266 5 1,180 2 830 

Ethiopia 2005 3 5,813 2 1,212 5 2,399 6 446 

Ghana 2003 7 2,160 2 1,048 4 1,791 2 549 

Guinea 2005 3 2,800 2 1,591 5 1,146 3 659 

Kenya 2003 13 3,547 10 1,826 10 1,537 8 717 

Lesotho 2004 11 3,173 7 1,621 4 1,250 3 644 

Madagascar 2003 1 2,919 1 1,883 1 832 1 519 

Malawi 2004 15 5,262 9 3,594 13 1,237 9 658 

Mali 2001 4 4,904 n/a n/a 7 1,131 n/a n/a 

Mozambique 2003 5 4,910 4 3,638 4 1,076 4 795 

Nigeria 2003 5 3,210 3 1,987 8 880 2 301 

Rwanda 2005 19 4,938 21 1,287 13 2,048 16 343 

Senegal 2005 2 6,400 1 2,604 2 1,571 1 472 

Tanzania 2004 13 4,252 9 2,624 7 1,130 7 585 

Uganda 2004-05 13 4,119 4 2,455 9 3,332 5 1,368 

Zambia 2001 9 3,476 n/a n/a 7 804 n/a n/a 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Moldova 2005 25 2,541 20 1,100 23 686 12 404 

South/Southeast Asia 

Philippines 2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a 1 1,702 1 420 

Vietnam 2005 3 2,471 3 609 4 2,406 4 297 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Colombia 2005 15 13,248 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Dominican Republic 2002 44 8,698 n/a n/a 18 1,020 n/a n/a 

Guyana 2004 27 842 22 436 16 658 15 312 

Honduras 2005 19 8,239 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Nicaragua 2001 4 5,546 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Peru 2004-05 10 4,241 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

n/a = not available 
84

7.6 Self-Reported STIs 

Respondents who ever had sex were asked if they had an STI in the past 12 months or if they 

experienced specific symptoms of STIs. Levels of self-reported STIs are low for both young women and 

men who have ever had sex (Table 7.6). Among young women, the percentage who report having an STI 

in the past 12 months ranges from less than 2 percent in 17 of the 30 countries with data on STIs to 11 

percent in Guinea and 15 percent in Uganda. The percentage of young men with a self-reported STI is 

less than 2 percent in 13 of the 28 countries with data and less than 10 percent in all 28 countries with 

data.
Table 7.6 Self-reported STIs and STI symptoms 

Among young women and young men who have ever had sex, the percentage who had an STI in the past 12 months or symptoms of an STI in the past 12 months, DHS/AIS 2001-05  Young women Young men Country/year 

STI in past 

12 months 

Abnormal

genital

discharge

Genital

sore or 

ulcer

STI,

discharge,

genital sore, 

or ulcer 

Ever had 

sex 

STI in past 

12 months 

Abnormal

genital

discharge

Genital

sore or 

ulcer

STI,

discharge,

genital sore, 

or ulcer 

Ever had 

sex 

Sub-Saharan Africa 

Benin 2001 0.9 2.4 1.1 3.1 1,841 2.5 3.8 1.7 5.0 619 Burkina Faso 2003 1.8 4.8 1.0 5.6 3,498 0.9 4.8 2.0 6.2 660 Cameroon 2004 4.3 10.7 3.7 13.3 3,582 6.9 6.6 3.2 10.7 1,350 Chad 2004 0.7 3.9 0.5 4.4 1,647 3.1 3.5 1.8 6.6 330 Congo (Brazzaville) 2005 3.9 15.5 8.1 19.2 2,477 4.9 5.3 5.6 9.8 937 Ethiopia 2005 0.4 1.1 0.3 1.4 2,754 0.4 0.6 0.4 1.1 566 Ghana 2003 2.0 10.3 3.9 12.5 1,301 2.9 5.2 2.8 7.4 705 Guinea 2005 11.2 32.0 6.9 35.0 2,065 5.8 8.4 1.6 9.9 767 Kenya 2003 1.4 3.2 2.2 4.4 2,220 1.7 2.4 1.5 3.1 1,023 Lesotho 2004 2.0 12.5 6.0 14.8 2,032 1.6 9.1 7.9 14.6 775 Madagascar 2003 1.9 2.4 1.3 2.7 2,117 5.9 4.7 3.2 7.1 544 Malawi 2004 0.9 4.1 5.8 9.0 3,991 0.4 3.7 3.2 6.8 861 Mali 2001 6.2 23.8 9.6 27.2 3,882 4.6 7.9 1.9 9.9 601 Mozambique 2003 2.9 9.4 3.2 11.1 4,210 5.7 6.2 3.8 9.5 856 Nigeria 2003 0.9 3.6 3.4 5.8 2,169 3.4 3.8 0.8 4.1 378 Rwanda 2005 0.8 3.4 1.9 4.5 1,697 0.3 2.2 0.8 3.0 800 Senegal 2005 1.2 9.6 4.7 11.8 2,987 0.3 1.7 2.0 3.9 700 Tanzania 2004 1.1 2.9 1.8 4.3 2,949 3.4 3.6 3.3 6.9 740 Uganda 2004-05 15.0 20.0 17.0 30.6 2,803 8.7 11.5 6.7 16.9 1,947 Zambia 2001 2.9 3.1 4.3 6.8 2,605 5.3 6.0 5.3 9.1 610 

North Africa/West Asia/Europe 

Armenia 2005 0.6 9.5 1.4 9.8 598 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 213 Egypt 2005 0.3 13.8 16.6 21.9 3,772 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Moldova 2005 1.2 11.3 8.5 16.3 1,184 1.0 2.7 1.3 3.3 435 

South/Southeast Asia

Bangladesh 2004 n/a 19.3 6.2 20.2 3,800 3.9 5.2 15.3 18.6 454 Philippines 2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.7 2.4 1.7 3.5 594 Vietnam 2005 3.2 14.1 2.5 16.6 623 0.3 0.6 0.5 1.0 324 

Latin America/Caribbean 

Bolivia 2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 2.0 1.8 0.7 3.7 1,361 Colombia 2005 1.4 6.9 1.0 7.6 8,558 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Dominican Republic 2002 0.3 9.6 0.6 9.8 4,875 0.6 0.4 0.2 1.0 690 Guyana 2004 1.7 2.5 1.2 3.7 484 0.7 1.3 0.5 2.4 381 Honduras 2005 1.2 14.4 1.0 14.9 4,227 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Nicaragua 2001 0.7 11.8 2.1 12.9 2,937 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Peru 2004-05 0.5 16.4 1.8 17.4 1,798 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 

Note: Grey shading indicates that the sample includes ever-married women only. n/a = not available 
86

Levels of abnormal genital discharge are more common among young women; in 14 of the 31 

countries with available data, 10 percent or more of young women report having an abnormal genital 

discharge in the past 12 months. In most countries, the percentage of young men reporting an abnormal 

genital discharge is lower than among young women, but higher than the percentage of young men 

reporting STIs. 

Large intraregional variations exist in the levels of young women and men having an abnormal 

genital discharge. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa, only 1 percent of young women in Ethiopia report 

an abnormal genital discharge compared with 20 percent in Uganda, 24 percent in Mali, and 32 percent in 

Guinea. The proportions of young women and men who report having a genital sore or ulcer in the past 

12 months are generally lower than of those reporting an abnormal genital discharge. 

Overall, the percentage of young women reporting an STI or STI symptoms in the past 12 months 

ranges from 1 percent in Ethiopia to 35 percent in Guinea. In 16 of the 31 countries with data on STIs, at 

least 10 percent of young women report having an STI or STI symptoms in the past 12 months. 

Correspondingly for young men, the levels are lower, and in 4 of the 28 countries with available data, 10 

percent or more of young men report having an STI or STI symptoms in the past 12 months. 
87

8 Summary and Conclusions 

This report describes levels and differentials of key reproductive and sexual health indicators for 

youth in 38 countries in the developing world. The report provides a descriptive analysis of background 

characteristics; adolescent pregnancy and motherhood rates; contraceptive use; indicators of sexual 

activity; and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The report also examines the 

associations between these indicators and various individual and household characteristics. 

The findings indicate that adolescent pregnancy is more common in sub-Saharan Africa and in 

Latin America and the Caribbean than in South/Southeast Asia. More than 20 percent of adolescents age 

15-19 have ever been pregnant in 20 of the 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in South/Southeast 

Asia. Overall, pregnancy terminations are rare in all countries, ranging from less than 1 percent in several 

countries (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Rwanda, the Philippines, and Morocco) to 4 percent (Congo). 

Programs need to target adolescent girls in rural areas, those who have lower levels of education, and 

those who have less exposure to mass media as they are most likely to become pregnant. 

Although large proportions of youth in all countries know of one method of contraception, more 

effort is needed to increase the knowledge of multiple methods among sub-Saharan youth, where smaller 

proportions of young people have the necessary knowledge. Higher proportions of sexually active, 

unmarried female youth report current use of modern contraceptive methods than of those who are 

married. Current use of modern contraceptive methods among married youth is lowest in sub-Saharan 

Africa. Current use of a modern method is associated with living in an urban area, having more education, 

and having regular exposure to the media. Unmet need for family planning is higher among sexually 

active, unmarried young women than currently married young women. 

Results also indicate that primary abstinence is more likely to be practiced by young women than 

young men, and it is more common in South/Southeast Asia and in North Africa/West Asia/Europe than 

other regions. Primary abstinence among both female and male youth is associated with younger ages, 

lower levels of education, lack of employment, and lack of media exposure. Among females, living with a 

nuclear family, living with other youth, having a male head of household, and living with an adult are 

associated with higher levels of primary abstinence. Among males, primary abstinence is associated with 

living in a nuclear family and living with another youth. Secondary abstinence is much less common than 

primary abstinence, and is more common in sub-Saharan Africa than other regions. 

Multiple sexual partnerships are most common among young men who reside in an urban area, 

have higher levels of education, are employed, are regularly exposed to the media, and who live in the 

wealthiest households. Higher-risk sex among both young women and men is associated with living in an 

urban area, having more education, being unemployed, living in a joint family, and being a member of 

one of the highest wealth quintiles. Among married youth, young males are more likely than young 

females to report extramarital sex in the past 12 months. 

Programs need to reach young men, who are more likely than young women to have sex with 

multiple partners and to have higher-risk sex. Planners and policymakers should also note that among 

young men, higher-risk sex is the norm; in all but six of the countries studied, more than three-quarters of 

young men report having higher-risk sex in the past 12 months. In spite of the prevalence of higher-risk 

sex, condom use at last higher-risk sex is low in most countries, with female youth less likely to report 

condom use at last higher-risk sex than male youth. 
88

Although the majority of youth have heard of HIV/AIDS and know that abstaining from sex, 

being faithful to an uninfected, faithful sexual partner, and using condoms can reduce the risk of HIV 

infection, young men are more informed about prevention measures than young women. In most 

countries, considerable proportions of female and male youth do not have accepting attitudes toward 

persons living with HIV; acceptance levels are particularly low in North Africa/West Asia/Europe. 

Testing for HIV is rare among youth. In most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and 

South/Southeast Asia, less than 10 percent of young females and males have ever been tested for HIV. 

Testing rates are higher in Latin America and the Caribbean than in other regions, and female youth are 

somewhat more likely than male youth to be tested. 

Young females are more likely than young males to report having an STI or symptoms of an STI 

in the past year. In 16 of 31 countries with data on STIs, 10 percent or more of young females report 

having had an STI or STI symptoms in the past year. 

In summary, this report discusses levels of key indicators related to reproductive and sexual 

behaviors in youth in 38 countries in the developing world and ways in which these indicators differ by 

individual and household characteristics. 

Several important findings from this study have implications for programs aimed at improving 

the reproductive and sexual health of youth. Adolescent pregnancies are a particular problem in subSaharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. More efforts are needed to reach the rural, 

uneducated adolescent girls age 15-19 who are most at risk for pregnancy. In addition, increased effort is 

needed in many sub-Saharan African countries to raise the level of knowledge about multiple modern 

methods of contraception. Programs also need to improve access to contraception for young, unmarried, 

sexually active women, who have the greatest unmet need. 

HIV-related stigma remains a major problem among youth. Considerable proportions of youth do 

not practice abstinence, and condom use rates remain low among youth. Voluntary HIV/AIDS counseling 

and testing rates are low among youth. Programs need to target youth, especially young men, who are 

more likely to have multiple sexual partners and engage in higher-risk sex.

Despite the wealth of information in this report, additional research is required to further 

understand current reproductive and sexual behavior patterns in youth in the developing world. Although 

this report examines the relationship between many reproductive and sexual health indicators and various 

individual and household characteristics, more research is needed to quantify the relative strengths of 

these relationships.
89

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