AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #225 - Factors that influence abstinence attitudes among 10-14 year old a church-going adolescents in Botswana
Authors: Presenting Author: Dr Harriet Okatch - University of Botswana
Additional Authors: Dr. Tirelo Modie-Moroka, Dr. Oemetse Mogapi,
Aim: To determine factors that influence abstinence attitudes among 10-14 year old church-going adolescents in Botswana
Method / Issue: A questionnaire survey was conducted amongst 202 10-14 year-old church-going adolescents in Botswana. Participants were recruited for the three branches of the church; mainline, pentecostal and African independent. Questions were governed by the planned action theory (beliefs, attitudes, behaviour) and also knowledge questions and socio-economic status with respect to HIV/AIDS, sexual activity, and Christianity. Chi- squared tests were performed to determine the factors that influence the ability to abstain until marriage. Of the 202 participants, 188 responded to the statement “I can abstain until I get married “, 27 (13%) disagreed to the statement, 16 (8%) neither agreed nor disagreed, 121 (60%) agreed and 24 (12%) didn’t know.
Results / Comments: Data from the survey shows that only 4% of the participants were sexually active defined in this study as having had sexual intercourse in the last three months. It was determined that the factors that significantly influence ability to abstain until marriage were the age of the adolescent, the education level of the adolescent, and the education level of the mother/female guardian. All three factors were directly correlated to the intention to abstain until marriage.
Discussion: All these factors should be considered during the intervention design phase. The level of education of mother and child play an important role in ensuring abstinence. This may indicate that at higher education levels more topics on the area of sex and HIV/AIDS are covered in the school systems. Age is directly related to level of education. With age, confidence grows and this may contribute to why adolescents are more confident that they can abstain until marriage. Other factors such as level of education of father/male guardian, gender, language, socio-economic status had no significant influence on the intention to abstain.
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