Premarital relationships and condom use among young people in Suva, Fiji
Elke Mitchell
A C and Stephen Bell A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A The Kirby Institute, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
B Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: emitchell@kirby.unsw.edu.au
Sexual Health 17(4) 337-343 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH20040
Submitted: 30 March 2020 Accepted: 24 May 2020 Published: 28 July 2020
Journal compilation © CSIRO 2020 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Background: Young people in Fiji experience high rates of sexually transmissible infections and early pregnancy. Despite being identified as a key priority group in national strategies, little is known about use of condoms among young people in premarital relationships. This study aimed to enhance understandings of premarital sex and condom use practices among young people in Fiji. Methods: Focus group discussions with 33 young women and men aged 18–29 years and 17 interviews with young women aged 18–26 years in an urban setting in Fiji were conducted. Inductive thematic analysis examined condom use practices. Results: Participants described a range of contextual influences inhibiting or enabling condom use. Factors inhibiting condom use included sociocultural expectations regarding premarital abstinence; young people’s engagement in hidden sexual relationships; limited intergenerational dialogue about sexual health issues; judgmental attitude of staff at condom access points; male dominance of condom use preferences; and belief condoms disrupt intimacy, reduce sexual pleasure and infer a lack of trust. Factors that enhanced condom use included accessing condoms through discreet methods; adult beliefs that supported safe sex practices; and refusing to have sex without a condom. Conclusion: Findings broaden understandings of young people’s condom use practices in Suva, Fiji. The findings illustrate the need for culturally appropriate youth-centred sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs and services. Specific strategies that might enhance young people’s condom use include community- and youth-led responses; peer condom distribution; provision of condom dispensers in community settings; scaling up of youth-friendly SRH services; and the delivery of comprehensive sexuality and relationships education.
Additional keywords: Pacific, qualitative, sexual and reproductive health, youth.
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