Adults’ Qualitative Accounts of Adolescent Sexual Activity in A Resource-Constrained Urban Setting: What Role Does Social Disorganization Play?

Sexual risk-taking behaviour among adolescents in urban resource-constrained communities has in recent times been deemed more pervasive than in the past. This study sought to interrogate this in an indigenous Ga community in Accra, Ghana by (i) identifying the perceptions on past and present patterns in adolescent sexual behaviour, and (ii) unearthing the factors accounting for the changes in adolescent sexual behaviour over time. We carried out two focus group discussions comprising 18 parents of adolescents and five individual interviews with elders (aged 50 and above) in the study community. The transcripts generated from the interviews were analysed thematically. Parents and elders alluded to adolescent sexual activity not generating as many negative reproductive health consequences in the past as it is in recent times; with adolescents engaging in public sexual acts unlike before. Individual, family and community/structural-level factors accounting for the changes in adolescents’ sexual behaviour over time include child indiscipline, lack of parental care, influence of the media, poverty, population growth, and community features. The changing nature of the urban space has been identified as a potential source of weakening adults’ control over adolescent sexual behaviour. The findings indicate that most of the changes taking place in the community are explained by social disorganization. The solutions to improve their sexual and reproductive health behaviour and outcomes require individual, family and community/structural-level programs and interventions.