Peer-reviewed article
Trends in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes Before and Into the COVID-19 Pandemic in Burkina Faso and Kenya: Evidence From Panel Data.
Silberg C, Moreau C, Karp C, Bazié F, Gichangi P et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study tracked adolescent girls aged 15-19 in Kenya and Burkina Faso before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using nationally representative survey data from late 2019, 2020, and 2021. Contrary to predictions, the pandemic did not consistently worsen adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes; instead, partnership and pregnancy rates declined, and contraceptive use increased in Kenya. Household income loss from COVID-19 was associated with lower sexual activity and pregnancy rates, but the pandemic did not significantly affect marriage or partnership initiation.
Key points
- Reduction in both partnership and pregnancy among 15-19 year-olds in 2021 compared to pre-COVID 2019
- Contraceptive use significantly increased between 2019 and 2021 in Kenya (adjusted odds ratio 1.42)
- COVID-19-related household income loss was associated with 53% lower odds of sexual activity among unmarried Kenyan girls
- COVID-19 income loss associated with 87% lower odds of pregnancy in Burkina Faso
- No significant relationship found between COVID-19 measures and initiation of partnership or marriage in either setting
Limitations
The study relied on secondary analysis of panel data with only three time points, making it difficult to assess longer-term implications or sustained effects beyond 2021. The findings may not capture all potential harms from the pandemic that emerged after 2021 or may not generalise beyond the two countries studied.
Abstract
Purpose Many predicted that COVID-19 would have a substantial impact on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) trajectories of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. The lack of longitudinal data with information collected before and into the pandemic has limited investigation into this topic. Methods We performed a secondary analysis using nationally representative longitudinal data from Kenya and Burkina Faso, collected at three time points (pre-COVID-19 in late 2019, and during COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021), to determine the extent to which SRH outcomes and behaviors, including pregnancy, contraceptive use, partnership status, and sexual activity, changed during the pandemic among adolescent women. Results Among adolescents aged 15-19 years (Kenya n = 1,893, Burkina Faso n = 1,422), there was a reduction in both partnership and pregnancy in 2021 as compared to pre-COVID 2019. Contraception use significantly increased between 2019 and 2021 in Kenya only (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.97). COVID-19-related household income loss was associated with a decline in sexual activity among unmarried Kenyan girls (aOR: 0.47, 95% CI 0.25-0.87) and lower odds of pregnancy in Burkina Faso (aOR: 0.13, 95% CI 0.02-0.91). We did not find a relationship between COVID-19 measures and initiation of partnership or marriage in either setting. Discussion Contrary to expectations, our results suggest that COVID-19 did not have a consistent or sustaining impact on adolescent SRH and behaviors in Burkina Faso and Kenya. Further research is needed to assess the longer-term implications of the pandemic on adolescent social and health outcomes.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- COVID-19 pandemic and its socioeconomic impacts (household income loss)
- Population
- Adolescent women aged 15-19 years in Kenya (n=1,893) and Burkina Faso (n=1,422)
Key finding
Partnership and pregnancy reduced in 2021 vs pre-COVID 2019 in both countries
C et al. · Europe PMC · 13 Jun 2024