Adolescent Sexuality and the HIV Epidemic in Yaoundé

Nathalie Lydié, Université de Montréal
Jamie Robinson, Glaxo Wellcome
Benoît Ferry, Centre Francais sur la Population et le Developpement
Évina Akam, Institut De Formation Et De Recherche Demographiques (IFORD)

Adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa are the focus of many interventions that aim to prevent HIV transmission. In order for these interventions to be effective, it is essential to understand adolescents' sexual behaviors. Using data collected in Yaoundé in 1997, the study analyzed risk exposure and HIV prevalence among 426 men and 510 women aged 15-24. Although risky behaviors seem more prevalent among young men, their HIV prevalence is remaining under 1%. In contrast, HIV prevalence is high among young women (7.5%), even those who report having had few sexual partners. Mixing patterns among sexual partners, and especially the age difference between men and women, do not seem to be sufficient to explain the large male-female discrepancy in HIV prevalence evident in our data. These results are therefore likely due to a greater susceptibility to infection of young women than men, as found by other recent studies conducted in African cities.