Sociodemographic drivers of multiple sexual partnerships among women in three rural districts of Tanzania.
BACKGROUND
This study examines prevalence and correlates of multiple sexual partnerships (MSP) among women aged 15+ years in Rufiji, Kilombero, and Ulanga districts of Tanzania.


METHODS
Data were collected in a cross-sectional household survey in Rufiji, Kilombero, and Ulanga districts in Tanzania in 2011. From the survey, a total of 2,643 sexually active women ages 15+ years were selected for this analysis. While the chi-square test was used for testing association between MSP and each of the independent variables, logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
Number of sexual partners reported ranged from 1 to 7, with 7.8% of the women reporting multiple sexual partners (2+) in the past year. MSP was more likely among both ever married women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =3.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40-10.49) and single women (AOR =6.13, 95% CI 2.45-15.34) than currently married women. There was an interaction between marital status and education, whereby MSP was 85% less likely among single women with secondary or higher education compared to married women with no education (AOR =0.15, 95% CI 0.03-0.61). Furthermore, women aged 40+ years were 56% less likely compared to the youngest women (<20 years) to report MSP (AOR =0.44, 95% CI 0.24-0.80). The odds of MSP among Muslim women was 1.56 times as high as that for Christians women (AOR =1.56, 95% CI 1.11-2.21). Ndengereko women were 67% less likely to report MSP compared to Pogoro women (AOR =0.33, 95% CI 0.18-0.59).


CONCLUSIONS
Eight percent of the women aged 15+ in Rufiji, Kilombero, and Ulanga districts of Tanzania are engaged in MSP. Encouraging achievement of formal education, especially at secondary level or beyond, may be a viable strategy toward partner reduction among unmarried women. Age, religion, and ethnicity are also important dimensions for partner reduction efforts.
Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Amon
A
Exavery
Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania ; Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, new York, NY, USA ; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Almamy Malick
AM
Kanté
Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Kassimu
K
Tani
Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Ahmed
A
Hingora
Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, new York, NY, USA.
James F
JF
Phillips
HIV/AIDS; Kilombero; Rufiji; Ulanga; transmission