Is sexual autonomy a protective factor for neonatal, child, and infant mortality? A multi-country analysis.
Adolescent
Adult
Africa, Eastern
Child
Child Mortality
Condoms
Female
Health Surveys
Humans
Infant
Infant Mortality
Infant, Newborn
Male
Multivariate Analysis
Personal Autonomy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy, Unplanned
Protective Factors
Safe Sex
Sexual Behavior
Sexual Partners
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
/ prevention & control
Socioeconomic Factors
Women's Health
Young Adult
Journal
PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
Titre abrégé: PLoS One
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101285081
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
2019
2019
Historique:
received:
26
10
2018
accepted:
02
02
2019
entrez:
23
2
2019
pubmed:
23
2
2019
medline:
19
11
2019
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Sexual autonomy empowers women to set boundaries, take control of their bodies, prevent sexually transmitted diseases and avoid unplanned pregnancy. A woman's ability to negotiate safer sex is crucial for her survival and that of her child. Sexual autonomy among East African women is vital to the elimination of the deaths of neonates, infants, and children. The aim of our study was to explore the association of sexual autonomy on neonatal, infant, and child mortality. This was a secondary analysis of demographic health survey (DHS) data on women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in five East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Data on our outcome variables neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality which were in binary form was extracted from the database. Sexual autonomy was classified as a composite variable of "respondent can refuse sex," "respondent can ask partner to use condom," and "if spouse is justified in asking husband to use condom." Other sociodemographic, maternal, health system and paternal variables were included in the analysis. STATA version 14 was used for analysis. Proportions and frequencies were used to describe the three outcome variables and sociodemographic characteristics. Chi-square tests were used to compare associations between sexual autonomy and categorical variables. Adjusted hazard ratios were used to determine the association between sexual autonomy and independent variables. The sampled women were predominantly urban (75%; n = 5758) and poor (48.7%; n = 3702). A majority of those that experienced mortality (neonatal mortality 53.5%, infant mortality 54.3%, under-five mortality 55.7%) were young (under 20) at the time of their first child's birth while their male partners were older. The multivariate analysis supports the beneficial effects of women's sexual autonomy in East Africa. Women who exercised sexual autonomy experienced significantly lower rates of child mortality at all three stages: neonatal (NHR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.68-0.94, p = 0.006), infant (IHR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.72-0.93, p = 0.003), and under-five (UHR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.94, p = 0.002), net of all other factors. Receiving antenatal care and using contraceptives also contributed significantly to lower child mortality rates. Our findings suggest that sexual autonomy among East African women is an urgent priority that is crucial to the survival of neonates, infants, and children in East Africa. Women should be informed, empowered, and autonomous concerning their reproductive and sexual health.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Sexual autonomy empowers women to set boundaries, take control of their bodies, prevent sexually transmitted diseases and avoid unplanned pregnancy. A woman's ability to negotiate safer sex is crucial for her survival and that of her child. Sexual autonomy among East African women is vital to the elimination of the deaths of neonates, infants, and children. The aim of our study was to explore the association of sexual autonomy on neonatal, infant, and child mortality.
METHODOLOGY
This was a secondary analysis of demographic health survey (DHS) data on women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in five East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Data on our outcome variables neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality which were in binary form was extracted from the database. Sexual autonomy was classified as a composite variable of "respondent can refuse sex," "respondent can ask partner to use condom," and "if spouse is justified in asking husband to use condom." Other sociodemographic, maternal, health system and paternal variables were included in the analysis. STATA version 14 was used for analysis. Proportions and frequencies were used to describe the three outcome variables and sociodemographic characteristics. Chi-square tests were used to compare associations between sexual autonomy and categorical variables. Adjusted hazard ratios were used to determine the association between sexual autonomy and independent variables.
RESULTS
The sampled women were predominantly urban (75%; n = 5758) and poor (48.7%; n = 3702). A majority of those that experienced mortality (neonatal mortality 53.5%, infant mortality 54.3%, under-five mortality 55.7%) were young (under 20) at the time of their first child's birth while their male partners were older. The multivariate analysis supports the beneficial effects of women's sexual autonomy in East Africa. Women who exercised sexual autonomy experienced significantly lower rates of child mortality at all three stages: neonatal (NHR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.68-0.94, p = 0.006), infant (IHR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.72-0.93, p = 0.003), and under-five (UHR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.94, p = 0.002), net of all other factors. Receiving antenatal care and using contraceptives also contributed significantly to lower child mortality rates.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that sexual autonomy among East African women is an urgent priority that is crucial to the survival of neonates, infants, and children in East Africa. Women should be informed, empowered, and autonomous concerning their reproductive and sexual health.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30794592
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212413
pii: PONE-D-18-30985
pmc: PMC6386489
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e0212413Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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