ArticleBMC women's health2025
Transactional sex and associated factors among young women in a tertiary institution in Northern Ghana: evidence from a cross-sectional survey.
Article in BMC women's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 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
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Self-reported sexually transmitted infections and related symptoms among women in Ghana.PloS one · 2026Article
- Associations between water insecurity and reproductive health outcomes among adolescent girls and young women in Sub-Saharan Africa.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Sexual Behaviour and Masturbation Practices: Impacts on Psychological well-being among tertiary students in Ghana.Reproductive health · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTransactional sex has gained public health attention in recent times because of its contributions to sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy among young women in sub-Saharan Africa. However, empirical data on the extent of this practice are lacking in Ghana. This study provides baseline information on the prevalence of transactional sex practice and associated factors among young women in a tertiary institution in Northern Ghana.
methodsA quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 340 sexually active young female students. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to sample respondents. Data were collected online using a pretested questionnaire. The prevalence of transactional sex and other socio-demographic characteristics were analysed descriptively using frequencies and percentages. A logistic regression model was used to determine predictors of transactional sex and assess the links between transaction sex and other risky sexual behaviours.
findingsRespondents were aged 18–31 years, and mean age was 24.94 (SD = ± 4.87). The prevalence of ever engaging in transactional sex was 23.8%, and 16.8% reported engaging in transactional sex in the past 12 months prior to the study. Nearly 65% of those who reported engaging in transactional sex in the last 12 months have done so at least four times. The odds of engaging in transactional sex were lower among older respondents (AOR: 0.140, 95%, CI: 0.032–0.605, p = 0.008); but higher for early sexual debut (AOR: 2.745, 95%, CI: 1.068–7.060, p = 0.036), area of residence (i.e. being peri-urban) (AOR: 8.300, 95%, CI: 1.655–41.617, p = 0.010), insufficient family support (AOR: 5.903, 95%, CI: 1.515–23.006, p = 0.011), and frequently using at least two social media applications (AOR: 3.893, 95%, CI: 1.276–11.877, p = 0.017). Respondents who engaged in transactional sex reported higher odds of contracting STIs (AOR: 3.580, CI:1.059–12.099, p 0.040), and having an abortion (AOR: 2.616, CI: 1.037–6.598, p 0.042) in the last 12 months.
conclusionTargeted comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights education interventions are needed on the campuses of institutions of higher learning to enable young women negotiate safe sex and sexual relationships. In addition, there is need to promote contraceptive use (especially those that offer dual protection) among young women on the campuses of tertiary institutions to minimise STIs infection and unwanted pregnancy. Economic empowerment programmes such cash transfers to identifiable impoverished female students, scholarships and grant opportunities and discounted fees would also be critical to preventing and/ or minimising the occurrence of transactional sex among young women.
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.