ArticlePloS one2024
Trends, and patterns, of premarital sexual intercourse and its associated factors among never-married young women aged 15-24 in Sierra Leone.
Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Association between family planning message exposure and related factors in HIV testing among women of reproductive age in The Gambia: an analysis of a national survey.BMC women's health · 2026Article
- Regional trends, spatial patterns and factors associated with health facility delivery among women of reproductive age in Sierra Leone.Reproductive health · 2025Article
- A study of vulnerable student populations, exclusion and marginalization in Sierra Leonean secondary schools: a social justice theory analysis.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPremarital sexual intercourse has essential implications for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young women. These include increased sexual pleasure and satisfaction as well as exposure to the risks of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. This study examined the trends, patterns, and associations of premarital sexual intercourse among young women aged 15-24 in Sierra Leone.
methodsNationally representative cross-sectional data from the 2008, 2013, and 2019 Demographic and Health Surveys in Sierra Leone were used for the study. A weighted sample of 9,675 never-married young women was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of premarital sexual intercourse in Sierra Leone. Percentages were used to present the results of the trends and patterns of premarital sexual intercourse. We employed a multilevel binary logistic regression modelling technique to examine the associations of premarital sexual intercourse. The results were presented using adjusted odds ratio with their respective 95% confidence interval.
resultsThe pooled prevalence of premarital sexual intercourse among the young women in Sierra Leone was 62.9%. Over the survey years, premarital sexual intercourse increased from 59.8% in 2008 to 65.1% in 2013. However, it declined by 3.5% to 61.6% in 2019. Young women aged 20-24 (aOR = 12.47, 95% CI = 10.54-14.76) had higher odds of engaging in premarital sexual intercourse than those aged 15-19. Young women with higher educational levels (aOR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.17-2.99), those who were working (aOR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.44-1.78), those who listened to the radio (aOR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.29-1.60), and those who lived in the Northwestern (aOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.68-2.84), Eastern (aOR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.23-1.760, Northern (aOR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.25 -, 1.76), and Southern (aOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.36-1.94) regions were more likely to engage in premarital sexual intercourse compared to those with no formal education, those not working, those who did not listen to the radio, and those who lived in the Western region, respectively. Young women in the richest wealth category (aOR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.49-0.78), and residing in rural areas (aOR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.72-0.98) had lower odds of engaging in premarital sexual intercourse relative to those from the poorest wealth quintile and those living in urban areas.
conclusionOur study found a high prevalence of premarital sexual intercourse among young women in Sierra Leone. Premarital sexual intercourse was associated with age, educational level, wealth, employment, and region. This necessitates providing them with comprehensive information regarding sexual and reproductive health behaviours, specifically emphasising the benefits and adverse consequences of engaging in sexual experimentation. Additionally, it is crucial to promote the adoption of abstinence, injections, implants, and condom usage through consistent advocacy for youth-risk communication.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.