Early sexual relationships and age mixing among older adolescents living in an urban slum in Ghana

Abstract

Understanding Adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health behaviour is paramount if the attainment of improved health outcomes and ultimately, the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved. However, the extant literature appears to be disproportionately focused on adolescents in the rural context. Using both qualitative and quantitative data collected from adolescents aged 15-19 years living in Kwesimintsim zongo – an urban slum, this paper attempts to examine early sexual relationships and age mixing among older adolescents. The results point to the presence of risky sexual behaviour among the respondents. Specifically it was found that about a fifth of the respondents were engaged in both early sexual relationships and age mixing. These findings provide useful insight on urban adolescents and their sexual reproductive health in Ghana and it is recommended that preventive measures such as educational campaigns be deployed to dissuade adolescents from engaging in these risky behaviours whose resultant social, psychological and economic costs affect the wider society.