07-A2-948-PEPFER ABSTRACT No.

469950
THE CONCEPT OF ENGAGED OR MARRIED STATUS
AMONG YOUTH (15-24) IN TWO REGIONS OF UGANDA
Namayanja EK., Watson C,. Walugembe P., Namubiru E., Kato I, Osekeny S.

Introduction Messages encourage abstinence for youth Methodology Results

The Abstinence (A), be faithful (B) among
youth (Y) radio campaign started in October
2005 as a collaboration between CARE/CORE
and Straight Talk Foundation.
Targeting youth (15- 24 years) either engaged
or married with ABY messages to manage
their sexuality through knowledge of their
sero-status, faithfulness so as to reduce their
risk to HIV/AIDS infection and to promote
utilization of health services particularly HIV
counseling and testing, antenatal care and
contraception).
not yet married and mutual monogamy (be
faithful) or reduce numbers of sexual partners
for married youths.
A qualitative study using an in-depth guide
for data collection was conducted among 22,
10 engaged and 12 married youth in two
regions of Uganda. Master sheet technique
was employed for data analysis.
The objective was to understand the context
of engaged or married among youth in
Uganda, find out whether youth were
abstaining during courtship and married
couples were faithful in addition to
establishing whether youth were accessing
VCT.
Socio-demographic
characteristics
Q Respondents were out of school with an
average education level of 7 years
Q Females were in non gainful employment
as housewives and males performed odd
jobs (brick laying, Boda-boda cyclists,
trading agricultural products).

Finding Among Engaged Couples

a) Concept of being engaged
Q Being in love (8/10) showed commitment to the relationship a pre-requisite to
marriage.
Q Good qualities, agreement to marriage, knowing ones parents or having a child
out of the relationship indicated that an engaged couple was destined for
marriage.

b) Period taken to assume engaged status

Q Ranged from a few months to less than two years.
Q Youth (6/10) were in relationship for less than a year implying that youth presume
the engaged status after very short periods of courtship.
Q The courtship period was described as that time when couples are in love and
Findings among Married Youth
having sex.
a) Concept of being married
Q Marriage status was assumed if couple produced children, started cohabiting, had
c) Previous engagement Relationship
held traditional ceremony and paid dowry.
Q Youth (6/10), especially males (4/6) had had previous relationships.
Q Most youth (10/12) were traditionally married for a period of more than one year.
Q Relationships ended if partners fell out of love, lost commitment, unfaithfulness,
Q No youth was in a religious marriage considering it a very expensive event.
relocation of partner, got another partner.
·
b) Premarital Sex:
e) Sexual Involvement
Q Respondents (9/12) had had premarital sex with other partners giving reasons
i) With a previous partner
like love, sexual satisfaction, show commitment to relationship hoping for
Q Respondents (5/10) had engaged in sex with pervious partners.
marriage.
“Yes I had someone. When you are young you do many things. Sometimes you don’t
Q Most had had about 2-3 partners and separation was due to loss of love or
know whether the man/ boy will marry you but because you love them you have sex
commitment.
with them. Each time you like someone, you think you are going to marry him so you
have sex, it sounds silly but it’s real” (Female 22 years)
c) Knowledge of HIV Status
Q All married youth did not know their HIV status, that of the previous partner nor
ii) Sex with current partner
that of their marriage partner.
Q Most youth (9/10) were having sex with the current partner.
Q Reasons for not abstaining included; difficulty to abstain, had to express love to
d) Engagement in extramarital sex
partner, sexual satisfaction, to show commitment to relationship.
Q Married male youths (3/10) were having extramarital sex, to get a second wife and
for sexual satisfaction.
I am 18 years, it’s hard to abstain. I am having sex with her to fulfill hers and my
sexual urge. (Male 22 years).
“My partner has other partners. I think I am not sexually satisfying his desires as he
is always complaining. I think he might be having as many as three partners” (Female
Q Youth were having sex after short periods of starting the relationship attributing
24 years).
this to too much love.
Q Women were not involved in extramarital sex for fear of domestic violence, family
breakup and HIV.
iii) Sex with other partner apart from the one engaged to;
Q Over half (7/12) did not know if partners were unfaithful, and considered
Q Some youth (2/10) were had muiltiple partners.
themselves not at risk of getting HIV.
Q There was no dialogue on partner’s risky behavior for fear of domestic violence
f) Knowledge of HIV status
especially among women.
Q Most youth(7/10) did not know their HIV status or that of partners (8/10).
Q Females who knew their HIV status had tested during ANC.
e) Whether it okay for married people to have sex
Q Reasons for not testing were; not seriously thinking about it, do not think are
Q All did not think that a married woman should have other sexual partners as such
infected, fear to test, assume partners HIV status, VCT services being far.
practice is culturally unaccepted, fear of getting HIV/STDs, children with doubted
Q For respondents who discussed with partners, the most important way to prevent
paternity.
acquiring HIV infection was to remain faithful to one another.
Q Although not justifiable for married men to have other partners, marrying more
Q One respondent used condoms to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
wives is culturally acceptable.

Discussions
Q The concept of engagement is not well understood. Engaged youth were those
having sexual relationships. Falling in love, courtship and sex proved a couple is will
marry. Despite having unprotected sex none had tested for HIV.
Q Some youth have sex with many partners hoping to choose the best partner. This is a
sequel that may lead to the spread of HIV. Having sex is a sign of love, commitment to
the relationship hoping this leads to marriage. In some cases this is not the case and
other partners are sought and the sequence repeated.
Q A married status is assumed when the couple staying together.
Q Women test during ANC and men assume their tested wife’s HIV status.
Q Having extramarital sex was unacceptable for females and not males.
Conclusion
HIV prevention strategies advocate for no sex until marriage and be faithful when married.
This is not the scenario. Youth are having in unprotected sex during courtship without
testing for HIV. Marriage is a sequel of getting pregnant and cohabitation with partners
who do not know each others HIV status. Lack of dialogue could limit strategies on
preventing acquiring HIV. For HIV prevention, new messages to encourage delaying
engagement, abstinence among unmarried youth, be faithful during marriage and test for
HIV to know ones status should be designed.
4 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, Kampala, P. O. Box 22366, Tel: +256 (031) 262030/1,
Fax: +256 414 534858, E-mail: strtalk@imul.com,
strtalk@straight-talk.or.ug