Behavioural Surveillance Surveys - The Wisdom of Whores

Youth Indicator 5
Youth with multiple partners
Definition
Numerator :
Number of respondents
reporting having had sex with
more than one partner in the
last 12 months.
Denominator : Total number of respondents
surveyed.
Measurement tools
Youth questionnaire
Q206
What it measures
Prevention messages for youth tend to
begin with abstinence and often focus also
on mutual monogamy. But because sexual
relationships among young people are frequently
unstable, relationships that were intended to
be mutually monogamous may break up and
be replaced by other relationships in which
similar intentions prevail. Particularly in high
HIV prevalence epidemics, serial monogamy
is not greatly protective against HIV infection.
This indicator measures the proportion of
youth that have been exposed to more than
one partner in the last year. That is, the
proportion for whom the “one, mutually
faithful partner” message has failed.
How to measure it.
In a survey among people aged 15-24,
respondents are asked about their sexual
partnerships in the last year. Those that report
more than one partner in the last 12 months
enter the numerator. The denominator is all
respondents.
The indicator should be reported separately
for men and women. It may also be constructed
separately for those aged 15-19 and 20-24,
as appropriate.
Strengths and limitations
This indicator does not distinguish
commercial and non-commercial partners.
It tracks all multiple partnerships, regardless
of their relative levels of risk. Again, it is
especially useful for advocacy purposes. If this
indicator is high, the message for parents and
other adults is : not only are your children
sexually active, they are also having sex with
multiple partners. The HIV prevention needs
of this group cannot be ignored.
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Chapter H A PTER 9 B EHAV I OR A L S U R V EI L L A NC E S U R V EY S