High Risk Sexual Practices decline in 2005

The 2005 Zambia Sexual Behaviour Survey results show some slight decline in risky behaviour among sexually active women and men. The respondents who reported having had sex with a non-regular partner declined from 24.0 percent in 1998 to 21.9 percent in 2000. In 2003, it increased to 22.5 percent and declined to 21.7 percent in 2005.

The proportion of sexually active men who reported having had sex with a non-regular partner was 27.6 percent in 2005, recording a decline of 1.8 percentage points from 29.4 percent in 2003. However, there was a notable decline of 10.2 percentage points between 1998 and 2000 from 39.1 percent to 28.9 percent, respectively.

The proportion of females reporting having had sex with a non-regular partner declined from 16.6 percent in 1998 to 15.6 percent in 2000. It increased slightly to 15.9 percent in 2003 and then remained relatively the same in 2005 at 15.8 percent.

The survey also collected data on the number of non-regular partners among the married and unmarried respondents. In 2005, 13.4 percent of respondents had at least one non-regular partner indicating no change from 2003. Those reporting having had one or two partners declined from 2.5 percent in 2003 to 1.9 percent in 2005.

In terms of marital status, the survey results indicates that the proportion of married males reporting having had at least one non-marital partner declined from 9.8 percent in 2000 to 7.4 percent in 2003 and then increased slightly between 2003 and 2005 from 7.4 percent to 7.6 percent. Similarly, those reporting having had two to three non- marital partners also increased from 1.3 percent in 2003 to 1.6 percent in 2005. Among married females, the proportion that reported having had at least one non-marital partner increased from 1.7 percent in 2003 to 2.8 percent in 2005. No change was observed in those reporting having had two to three non- marital partners.

 A similar trend was observed among unmarried males and females. The proportion of unmarried males reporting having had at least one non-regular partner increased from 29.6 percent in 2003 and 30.2 percent in 2005. The proportion reporting having had two to three non-regular partners have been declining since 2000 from 9.5 percent in 2000 to 7.3 percent in 2003 and then to 5.3 percent in 2005. Similarly, the proportion of unmarried females reporting having had at least one non-regular partner has continued to decline over the years, from 25 percent in 2000 and 2003 to 21.9 percent in 2005. Those reporting having had two to three partners increased between 2000 and 2003 from 1.8 percent to 2.4 percent then declined to 1.9 percent in 2005.