Beyond adolescents: patterns and correlates of sexual behaviour of men aged 50+ in sub-Saharan Africa

Nyasha Chadoka-Mutanda, University of the Witwatersrand
Pedzisai Ndagurwa, University of the Witwatersrand
Emmanuel O. Olamijuwon, University of the Witwatersrand

Since the advent of HIV/AIDS, sexuality studies have focused on adolescents because of the assumption that they are highly sexually active and the myths that older people are asexual. This study therefore deviates from that pattern to examine the patterns and correlates of sexual behaviour of men aged 50 years plus in 10 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Data was extracted from the latest Demographic and Health Surveys of the selected countries and was pooled together to maximize the sample size. The total sample was 5 394 ever married men aged 50 years and above. The results showed that, a larger proportion of older men irrespective of their marital status are highly sexually active and different correlates of sexual behaviour indicators exist across the region. Therefore prevention programs should also be extended to include older men instead of the current narrow focus on adolescents and youth.