Using data from the 1993 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, this study explores the relationship between ethnicity and sexual behavior: having sex before age 17 and premarital sexual experience. All ethnic groups show substantial sexual experience before age 17 and premarital sexual engagement. Logistic regression analyses reveal that in general ethnicity influences the behaviors studied, especially for ever-married women. The data suggest that groups that practice matrilineal and patrilineal systems show differences in the likelihood of having sex before age 17. Contrary to expectation, there is an inverse relationship between education and sexual experience before age 17. The findings highlight the importance of group-specific programs in Africa.
PIP: This study explores the relative importance of subgroup norms, values, practices, and customs in predicting sexual behavior among Ghanaian women. Using data from the 1993 Ghanaian Demographic and Health Survey, the two dependent variables of sexual behavior, having sex before age 17 and premarital sexual experience, are measured and subjected to multivariate analysis. The analysis is carried out for never-married and ever-married women separately. Findings showed that almost 60% and 53% of never-married and ever-married women, respectively, started having sex before age 17. Furthermore, about 58% of never-married women were sexually experienced at the time of the survey. This high incidence of sexual behavior suggests that cultural norms and controls do not significantly influence socialization, particularly adolescent sexual behavior. The data suggests that groups practicing matrilineal and patrilineal systems show differences in the likelihood of having sex before age 17. Contrary to expectation, there is an inverse relationship between education and sexual experience before age 17. The findings underscore the importance of group-specific programs in Africa.