Coerced first sex and the risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) among adolescent women in Uganda

Stephen Ojiambo Wandera, Makerere University
Betty Kwagala, Makerere University

Evidence of the relationship between coerced first sex and the risk of STIs among adolescents remains limited. The objective of this paper was to establish the association between coerced first sex and the risk of STIs. A sample of 580 sexually active adolescent women (15-24) were interviewed in the 2006 domestic violence module in Uganda. Chi-square tests and logistic regressions were used to investigate associations between coerced first sex and the risk of STIs. From the analyses, 23% of adolescents reported that their first sexual intercourse had been coerced. After controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, the odds of self-reported STIs among adolescents coerced at first sex were similar to those who had not been coerced. Coerced first sex indirectly increases the risk of STIs through risky sexual behavior among adolescents. Interventions to improve their reproductive health should directly address the issue of sexual coercion.