When having coital pleasures with males they are neither dating nor married to, men are more anxious about their health and keen on utilizing protection than women are.
According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022, 19% of women and 35% of males had physical intimacy in the previous year with someone who was neither their spouse nor their roommate.
However, the data reveals that just 37% of the women used condoms with their secret lovers, otherwise known as "mpango wa kando," compared to 68% of the males who did so, despite this being a risk factor for developing HIV/Aids and other sexually transmitted illnesses.
“It’s like women don’t perceive themselves to be at risk of getting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections,” acting Director of Health Patrick Amol said during the release of the survey at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Monday.
The results also showed that both sexes engaged in more reckless sexual behavior, with women aged 15 to 49 having had, on average, 2.3 partners while their male counterparts had, on average, 7.4 partners.
“Four percent of women aged 15–49 had two or more sexual partners in the last 12 months,” the survey report showed.
It was discovered that around a quarter (24%) of the women had used a condom during their most recent sex.
Comparatively, 15% of men between the ages of 15 and 49 reported having two or more sexual partners in the previous year.
“Among men with two or more sexual partners, 45 percent reported using a condom during their last sexual intercourse,” the report shows.
Surprisingly, the report revealed that the proportion of people who had sex in the previous 12 months with someone who wasn't their spouse, partner, or roommate rose with education.
When it comes to women, the percentage increased from 7% of those with no education to 27% of those with at least a secondary education.
In men, the percentage increased from 20% for those with no education to 43% for those with at least a secondary school.
The data also reveals that the percentage of women aged 15 to 49 who had relationships in the previous year with people who were neither their husbands nor housemates rises with quintiles of wealth, from 14% among those in the lowest quintile to 22% among those in the highest.
Data show that Murang'a County has the highest rate of women aged 15 to 49 who had two or more sexual partners in the previous year (11%).
Mandera, Tana River, and Kwale counties, each with less than 1%, have the lowest percentage.
Men aged 15 to 49 who had two or more sexual partners in the previous year were most prevalent in Narok county (43%) while they were least prevalent in Kirinyaga, Kericho, and Garissa counties (2% each).
The 2022 KDHS's main goal is to present current estimates of fundamental socio-demographic, nutritional, and health variables.
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