Union Formation Among Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Does Early Sexual Debut Matter?
Résumé
Is early sexual debut a key determinant of union formation among young adults in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)? Using a life-course perspective, this article analysed data from Demographic and Health Surveys of selected countries to examine the relationship between sexual behaviour measured by age at first sex and the likelihood of cohabitation or marriage. These associations were examined using binary and multinomial logistic regressions. Findings suggest that the decision for males to cohabit, get married, or remain single differs by age at sexual debut, although there is no similar evidence for females. While an understanding of the patterns revealed is significant for policy formulation on union formation of young people, it can help to reduce the reproductive health challenges among youth in SSA.