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Table 4 Factors associated with ever engaging in sexual intercourse among unmarried youth

From: Unmarried Sri Lankan youth: sexual behaviour and contraceptive use

Variable

Level

Ever engaged in sexual intercourse

Univariate

Odd Ratio (95% CI, Probability)

Multivariate

Odd Ratio (95% CI, Probability)

Yes

No

No

%

No

%

Age in group

20-24 years

100

18.5

442

81.5

  

15-19 years

84

16.3

431

83.7

0.861 (0.626-1.185, p = 0.359)

0.903 (0.547-1.493, p = 0.691)

Sex

Female

66

11.3

519

88.7

  

Male

118

25.0

354

75.0

2.621 (1.884-3.647, p < 0.001)

1.378 (0.857-2.214, p = 0.186)

Mother’s age

<  40 years

31

16.8

154

83.2

  

40-49 years

80

14.9

457

85.1

0.870 (0.553-1.368, p = 0.546)

0.774 (0.451-1.329, p = 0.353)

50-59 years

64

21.3

237

78.7

1.341 (0.835-2.156, p = 0.225)

1.098 (0.596-2.023, p = 0.764)

60+ years

9

26.5

25

73.5

1.788 (0.761-4.201, p = 0.182)

1.929 (0.642-5.792, p = 0.242)

Having siblings

None

4

8.3

44

91.7

  

One or more

180

17.8

829

82.2

2.388 (0.847-6.732, p = 0.100)

2.820 (0.902-8.811, p = 0.075)

Ethnicity

Sinhala

122

19.6

499

80.4

  

Tamil

28

9.4

269

90.6

0.426 (0.275-0.659, p < 0.001)

0.390 (0.213-0.715, p = 0.002)

Moor

34

24.5

105

75.5

1.324 (0.858-2.045, p = 0.205)

1.329 (0.784-2.252, p = 0.291)

Sector

Urban

82

20.1

325

79.9

  

Rural

55

18.0

250

82.0

0.872 (0.597-1.274, p = 0.479)

1.279 (0.810-2.020, p = 0.290)

Estate

47

13.6

298

86.4

0.625 (0.423-0.925, p = 0.019)

0.807 (0.709-0.978, p = 0.020)

Level of education

Grade 1-10

9

16.7

45

83.3

  

Passed GCE(O/L)

83

18.2

374

81.8

1.110 (0.522-2.359, p = 0.787)

0.962 (0.394-2.345, p = 0.931)

Passed GCE(A/L)

47

14.6

274

85.4

0.858 (0.393-1.870, p = 0.700)

0.576 (0.219-1.516, p = 0.264)

Technical/Dip/Undergraduate/Degree

45

20.0

180

80.0

1.250 (0.569-2.745, p = 0.578)

0.848 (0.315-2.279, p = 0.743)

Family environment

Positive

147

17.7

683

82.3

  

Negative

37

16.3

190

83.7

0.905 (0.610-1.343, p = 0.619)

0.648 (0.405-1.036, p = 0.070)

Time spent on online content per day

<  30 minutes

27

12.4

190

87.6

  

30-59 minutes

63

15.4

345

84.6

1.285 (0.792-2.086, p = 0.310)

1.350 (0.754-2.418, p = 0.312)

60-119 minutes

39

19.3

163

80.7

1.684 (0.988-2.870, p = 0.056)

1.380 (0.735-2.589, p = 0.316)

120+ minutes

55

23.9

175

76.1

2.212 (1.336-3.662, p = 0.002)

1.467 (0.794-2.710, p = 0.221)

Time spent to communicate per day

<  30 minutes

36

11.3

283

88.7

  

30-59 minutes

52

19.3

217

80.7

1.884 (1.189-2.985, p = 0.007)

1.415 (0.828-2.419, p = 0.204)

60-119 minutes

36

16.8

178

83.2

1.590 (0.966-2.618, p = 0.068)

1.110 (0.622-1.981, p = 0.724)

120+ minutes

60

23.5

195

76.5

2.419 (1.540-3.800, p < 0.001)

1.632 (0.953-2.793, p = 0.074)

Current economic activity

Employed

29

23.2

96

76.8

  

Student

113

17.1

548

82.9

0.683 (0.430-1.084, p = 0.105)

0.715 (0.403-1.267, p = 0.251)

Searching for a job

30

15.2

168

84.8

0.591 (0.335-1.044, p = 0.070)

0.633 (0.322-1.245, p = 0.185)

Idling

12

16.4

61

83.6

0.651 (0.309-1.372, p = 0.259)

0.617 (0.248-1.536, p = 0.300)

Use of any substance

Yes

108

32.0

229

68.0

  

No

76

10.6

644

89.4

0.250 (0.180-0.348, p < 0.001)

0.419 (0.267-0.658, p < 0.001)

Ever had love affair

Yes

174

18.5

766

81.5

  

No

10

8.5

107

91.5

0.411 (0.211-0.803, p = 0.009)

0.449 (0.211-0.954, p = 0.037)

Overall knowledge on SRH

Low

12

5.7

198

94.3

  

Medium

86

15.7

461

84.3

3.078 (1.645-5.759, p < 0.001)

2.493 (1.256-4.947, p = 0.009)

High

86

28.7

214

71.3

6.631 (3.517-12.502, p < 0.001)

4.284 (2.130-8.618, p < 0.001)

Aware of sexual intercourse among peers

Yes

143

32.1

303

67.9

  

No

41

6.7

570

93.3

0.152 (0.105-0.222, p < 0.001)

0.224 (0.149-0.337, p < 0.001)