Family Factors and Gender Norms as Protective Factors Against Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls in Southern Uganda
Outcomes: Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Sexual and Reproductive Health
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways Social norms, particularly traditional gender expectations that discourage premarital sex, may serve as a form of informal social control that deters sexual risk-taking. These norms, reinforced through close family bonds and socialized gender roles, play a critical role in adolescent girls’ behavioral choices. However, while traditional norms may have protective effects, future interventions should balance norm reinforcement with efforts to promote gender equity and empower adolescent girls to make informed, autonomous health decisions.
Objectives This study aimed to examine how family factors and gender norms act as protective influences against sexual risk-taking behaviors among adolescent girls in southern Uganda. Given high HIV prevalence rates in this group, the study focused on understanding how social and familial support systems, as well as internalized gender norms, influence sexual decision-making.
Methods The study used baseline data from the Suubi4Her longitudinal study involving 1,260 school-going girls aged 14–17 across 47 schools. Hierarchical linear regression models were employed to explore the associations between family care, social support, traditional gender norms, and sexual risk-taking intentions—a proxy for actual risky behaviors due to the social desirability bias in self-reporting.
Intervention Details While this article is based on a baseline data analysis and does not evaluate an intervention per se, it is nested within the broader Suubi4Her project, a 5-year, NIMH-funded program aimed at reducing HIV risk among adolescent girls through family and economic strengthening interventions.
Results The findings reveal that stronger family care and relationships, higher social support from peers, and adherence to more traditional gender norms were significantly associated with lower intentions to engage in sexual risk-taking. Younger adolescents generally reported more supportive relationships and lower risk intentions. Gender norms that emphasized traditional roles were also linked to lower risk behaviors, particularly in family environments where expectations were reinforced.
Conclusions Supportive family environments and traditional gender norms can deter adolescent girls from engaging in risky sexual behaviors. The study suggests that interventions aiming to reduce HIV risk should incorporate family-level support strategies and consider the role of gender norms in shaping behavior, especially in contexts where these norms align with protective health behaviors.
Norms Addressed
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