LITERATURE REVIEW
2.5 Summary
Globally sexual behaviour is influenced by various factors. The literature review indicated that individual factors, SES and family influence are the major contributors however these factors vary along demographic lines, from study to study and from society to society. The sexual behaviour of young adults is shaped by their immediate environment which is imposed by structural factors. Hence, it is important to determine factors influencing sexual behaviour in the unique immediate environments in which young adult live. However, the literature review lacks longitudinal studies which observe trends over time in sexual behaviour in relation to the changing environment which young adults live. This paper is an endeavour to contribute in that regard by observing trends over time and determinants of sexual behaviour in the changing environment of young adults residing in the Cape Town Metropolitan area.
CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction
This chapter presents the methodology of the study. Sexual behaviour is an area that has been widely researched in South Africa. For that reason secondary data was used for this study.
Numerous data sets are available on sexual behaviour (SADHS 1998, 2003; Transition to Adulthood in the Context of AIDS in South Africa, 2007, HRSC/Mandela HIV/AIDS survey, 2002, 2005; HIV and Sexual Behaviour Among Young South Africans: A national survey of 15-24 year olds, 2003). However, most of these surveys are cross sectional and a survey like the SADHS is a repeated cross sectional survey, it does not observe the same individuals over time. The CAPS data set was chosen because it is a longitudinal data set and it meets the research aims of this study. Longitudinal data permits for observation of trends over time.
This is crucial in monitoring risky sexual behaviour among young adults as well as evaluating the impact of various prevention and intervention programmes on reducing risky sexual behaviour.
3.2 Study Setting
The Western Cape Province is situated in the southern-most tip of South Africa. According to a community survey conducted by Statistics South Africa the estimated population of the Western Cape is 5 278 585 (StatsSA, 2007). The Western Cape is composed of four population groups: Coloureds (50.2%), Black African (30.1 %), Whites (18.4%) and Indians (1.3%). The focus of this study is on the three major population groups i.e. Coloureds, Black Africans and Whites. The small number of Indians (1.5%) was merged into the Coloured population. Indians constituted a minority in the CAPS enumeration areas and will thus be statistically insignificant in relation to other population groups. Compared with other provinces in South Africa the Western Cape is the most resourced province. According to StatsSA only 3% of the population of the Western Cape does not have access to a phone (telephone or cellular phone) (StatsSA, 1996). It is a highly urbanised population with 88.9%
of its population living in urban areas. The Western Cape also has the highest education ratings compared to other provinces in South Africa, with about 10% of the population aged
aged 15-24 is 2.3%, the lowest in the country. KwaZulu-Natal records the highest prevalence of16.1%.
The Cape Town Metropolitan area from which the data set is derived is the economic hub of the province and serves as the legislative capital city of the Republic of South Africa and has an estimated population of 2 893 247 (StatsSA, 2006). The major population group in the Western Cape is the Coloured population. The Coloured population is a minority group in other South African provinces with the exception of Northern Cape and Western Cape.
3.3 Data Source
The Cape Areas Panel Study (CAPS) study is a longitudinal survey of young adults and their households. It is currently composed of four Waves. The first Wave of the study was conducted in 2002, the second Wave was conducted in 2003 (Wave 2a) and 2004 (Wave 2b) and the third Wave of the study was conducted in 2005. The fourth Wave was conducted in 2007/8 and it does not form part of this study. Waves 1-3 will be used in this study but due to non-response in 2003 and 2004 on some of the questions, some sections of the study will only use Waves 1 and 3.
The data set is composed of two modules- a household module and a young adult module.
The household module is composed of 22 631 individuals representing 5 256 households (See Table 3.1). The young adults includes a sample size of 4752, aged 14-22. This young adults are residents of the 5 256 households. The study collected information on young adults and their households, living arrangements, schooling, work and reproductive health. The sample design was weighted to be representative of the sample households and of all different races in the Cape Town Metropolitan area based on the 2001 Population Census. For this reason the sample is clustered and stratified accordingly and therefore involves complex sample design.
Table 3.1 provides a brief summary of CAPS (unweighted).
Table 3.1: Numbers of Household Members, Households, and Young Adults in CAPS
Population Household Young
Group of members Households adults Enumeration
Area Number
%Nwnber
%Number
%African
9,565 42.3 2,260 43.0 2,1~6 44.7Coloured
9,884 43.7 2,036 38.7 1,879 39.5White
3,182 14.1 960 18.3 747 15.7Total
22,631 100.0 5,256 100.0 4,752 100.03.3.1. Analytic Sample
The analytic sample to be used is made up of young adults and their households. The young adult module for Waves 1-3 will be used, it is composed of a sample of 4,752 young adults aged 14-22. The household sample that collected information on parents of the 4,752 young adults will be used to assess the economic status of the family and family characteristics. The use of the ages 14-22 in CAPS as opposed 15-24 (UN designation for young adults) had to do with research goals and the timing of events in the lives of young adults. Therefore the use of age groups 14-22 as opposed to 15-24 is unique to childhood transitions in the Western Cape and does not necessarily refer to the UN definition of young adult, or teenager.
3.3.2 Study Design
The sample design used by the CAPS team is based on the Enumeration Areas (EAs) of the Cape Town Metropolitan of the 1996 population census. The purpose was to sample equal numbers of Africans and Coloureds and a White sample roughly half as large (Lam, Seekings
& Sparks, 2006). A stratified two-stage sample was designed by working backwards from the target number of young adults in each of the three population groups. The first stage was the selection of sample clusters. The second stage was the selection of households within each cluster. Figure 3.1 presents the final CAPS enumeration areas used for the study.
Figure 3.1: CAPS Enumeration Areas
Source: Lam, Seekings & Sparks. (2006)
The sample was weighted based on the 1996 population census in order to be representative of the entire Cape Town Metropolitan area and to correct for an unequal probability of selection. However, due to the effect that weighting has on regression, all variables will appear to be significant when conducting logistic regression. Only unweighted proportions were used in the bivariate analysis and logistic regression.
3.4 Analytic Framework and Measures