HIV/AIDS and Sexual-Risk Behaviors among Adolescents: Factors Influencing the Use of Condoms in Burkina Faso

To facilitate the design of effective policies that can address adolescent’s reproductive health problems, it is necessary to gain a thorough understanding of patterns of adolescents’ sexual behavior, and the factors that affect them. Using a unique set of data collected in 2004 from a nationally-representative survey of adolescents, this study examines adolescents’ risky and protective sexual behavior in Burkina Faso. Findings show that 11% of adolescent males had sexual intercourse in last twelve months with more than two partners but did not use condoms. Logistic regression analysis shows that the odds of using condoms increased with years of schooling and self-efficacy in use of condoms. Females who were very confident of getting a male partner to wear a condom were six times more likely to have used a condom at last sex than those who were not confident at all. (Afr J Reprod Health 2007; 11[3]:182-196)