One in 10 adolescent girls engage in sex before turning 15 — GSS report

One in every 10 adolescent girls between the ages of 10-19 years had sexual intercourse before 15 years as of 2022, a study by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has established. 

The study extracted from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) said the figure amounted to 10.2 per cent of the adolescent population which constituted 22 per cent of the country’s total population.

It said although the proportion of adolescent girls who initiated sexual intercourse before 15 years marked a two per cent decline in 29 years, from 12 per cent in 1993 to 10.2 per cent in 2022, the improvement was negligible, given the numerous education programmes that had been put in place about implications on girls early sexual activities during the 29 years.

The statistics, dubbed “Adolescent Risky Behaviour” released by the Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, at a forum, in Accra last Thursday, indicated that 15.2 per cent of teenage girls had ever been pregnant, four per cent had a pregnancy loss, while 10.9 per cent were mothers.

The statistics also indicated that there had been an increase in prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female adolescents 15 to 19 years from 2.2 per cent to 7.1 per cent between 2003 and 2022. Also, there was also an increase in prevalence of STIs among male adolescents 15 to 19 years between 2003 and 2022 from 2.2 per cent to 12.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, according to the Ghana AIDS Commission in 2022, adolescents from age 10 to 19 constituted six per cent of HIV population with 10.8 per cent of the HIV population (1,791) being new HIV infections.

Underage Sexual Activity

The study also indicated that underage sexual activity and multiple sexual partners were becoming a threat to society with high prevalence among female adolescents than male adolescent.

Nine out of 10 districts recording the highest prevalence of young adolescent females having sex before age 16 were from the Ashanti Region, according to the report, led by Akrofuom - 42.07 per cent, Amansie South - 41.4 per cent, and Amansie Central - 40.97 per cent, Amansie West – 40.2 per cent, Adansi Asokwa - 39.5 per cent.

Other districts making up the top 10 were, Adansi South – 39.1 per cent, Asante Akim South – 38.3 per cent, Bosome Freho – 38.2, Ahafo Ano South East – 37.7; only Bia East from Western Region with 37.9 per cent made the top 10.

The report also stated that about one in every three adolescent boys 16 to 19 years had sex before 16 years in the top 10 districts making the highest prevalence of underage sexual activity.

Meanwhile, all 33 districts in the Eastern Region made up the top 33 districts with highest prevalence of adolescent male having sex before age 16.

This was led by the Upper Manya Krobo – 35.7 per cent, Atiwa West – 35.0 per cent, Upper West Akim – 34.5 per cent, Suhum – 34.0 per cent, Kwahu Afram Plains – 34.0 per cent, Yilo krobo – 33.8 per cent.

The rest making the top 10 were Ayensuano – 33.7, Atiwa East – 33.7, Fanteakwa North – 33.5 and Kwahu South and Kwahu West all having – 33.0 per cent. 

Multiple sexual partners

Also, the report indicated that districts in the Bono and Western North Regions topped the chart for females aged 15 to 19 years having sexual intercourse with more than one person in series or concurrently in the last 12 months (multiple sexual partners).

Dorma East District in the Bono Region with 38.7 per cent prevalence rate topped the chart. It was followed by Dorma Central in the same region with 37.7 per cent. Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai from the Western North followed with 37.5 per cent and Sefwi Wiawso – 37.4 per cent.

Other were Berekum East (Bono) – 37.3 per cent, Berekum West (Bono) – 36.9 per cent, Juaboso (Western North) – 36.8 per cent, Jaman South – 36.5 per cent, Dormaa West – 36.0 per cent and Suaman – 35.8 per cent.

For prevalence of adolescent male aged 15 to 19 years having multiple sexual partners, Oti region topped the chart with all of its 9 districts making the top 10, only Suaman from Western North with 34.0 per cent also made the list in sixth place.

Leading the chart in descending order of magnitude was the Guan – 36.3 per cent, Nkwanta South – 35.4 per cent, Krachi West – 35.0, Krachi Nchumuru – 35.0 per cent, Jasikan – 34.3 per cent, Krachi East – 34.0 per cent, Nkwanta North – 34.0 per cent, Biakoye – 33.5 per cent and Kadjebi – 33.1 per cent.

Education

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Executive Director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah, described the situation as worrying and called for heightened education to address the worrying trend.

Mr Appiah expressed fear over the future of children in the country, saying, if the necessary measures are not taken in time “within the near future, our children are going to encounter serious health implications in this country”.