Early Sexual Debut among Young Women of Reproductive Age in Bangladesh: An Exploration through Survival Analysis

Early Sexual Debut among Young Women of Reproductive Age in Bangladesh: An Exploration through Survival Analysis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Early Sexual Debut among Young Women of Reproductive Age in Bangladesh: An Exploration through Survival Analysis Md. Asrafur Rahman Ashiq, Shanjida Chowdhury, Md. Aminul Haque This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7684828/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Early sexual debut (ESD) is a significant public health concern globally, specifically in lower-middle-income countries where traditional gender norms dominate. Patriarchal beliefs regarding sexuality contribute significantly to health risks for adolescent females. ESD increases the risk of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, adverse birth outcomes, and psychosocial problems. This study utilized data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2022 to investigate the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of ESD among young women aged 15–24. Out of 4,750 weighted respondents across the age group (15–19 and 20–24), the combined prevalence of early sexual debut was 83.52%, with 51.4% of the respondents having their first sexual experience at ages 16–18, and only 16.5% had it after 18 years. Results of survival analysis showed that youth who began cohabiting after age 18 years had significantly lower risk (AHR: 0.01; 95%CI: 0.009–0.015) of experiencing ESD, while female youths with secondary or higher education had 69% less likelihood of experiencing ESD than those with no formal education (AHR:0.31; 95%CI: 0.24–0.40). Wealthier households presented a 22.0% lower risk (AHR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.70–0.86); urban youth (AHR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74 − 0.89) also had a lower risk. Working youth (AHR: 1.16; 9595% CI: 1.05 − 1.28) and knowledge of contraceptives also had a higher risk of experiencing ESD. Study findings suggested that policymakers and respective stakeholders should give appropriate attention to empowering women, enhancing household wealth status, and increasing media exposure to reduce early sexual debut among young women of reproductive age. Early sexual debut Survival analysis Female youth Bangladesh Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7684828","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":519171603,"identity":"a12f8f62-30e4-4d5b-b135-e9078a10d5d2","order_by":0,"name":"Md. Asrafur Rahman Ashiq","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Southeast University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Md.","middleName":"Asrafur Rahman","lastName":"Ashiq","suffix":""},{"id":519171604,"identity":"869aca19-da7e-4c7d-aaa8-a9f15e04b924","order_by":1,"name":"Shanjida Chowdhury","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Southeast University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shanjida","middleName":"","lastName":"Chowdhury","suffix":""},{"id":519171605,"identity":"874fc583-3c69-43fb-8952-38cb7ce73b78","order_by":2,"name":"Md. Aminul Haque","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACxgYGhgKGBDD7AxuYYmPgIajFAKKFcQZxWkAAqoWZhxgt/NMOtz3mMWDI42/PMXxsU3aYgb/9ANuDN3i0SNxObDcGaimWOPPG2Djn3GEGiTMJ7IZz8LnpdmKbNFBLYsONHDPp3LbDDAw3GNik8TlMHqZl/o0c89+WQC3yhLQYwLRsANrCzAjUYkBIiyFQi+QcA4nEjWeeFUv2nEvnMTyT2I7XL3K3059JvKmwSZx3PHnjhx9l1nJyxw8fwxtiUCABxAlgFg8kcokDCcQqHAWjYBSMgpEGALWqSOo9D0VCAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"University of Dhaka","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Md.","middleName":"Aminul","lastName":"Haque","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-09-23 00:23:19","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7684828/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7684828/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":92114637,"identity":"0fc288df-c078-4c09-a526-994a6a106e8d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:09:05","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":507072,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptESDSep22BMC.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/042dbdd94212e1064eadc927.docx"},{"id":92114629,"identity":"45363f8d-82fc-4176-8536-83d505b4fa7a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:09:05","extension":"json","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":5434,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"1e29c0b7d05d4aa9be6353f18945186f.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/0e9a88e8eb3d9d489c9662f0.json"},{"id":92114632,"identity":"f7e6b2b2-bb2e-49b6-999d-bfd972f40266","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:09:05","extension":"xml","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":124308,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"1e29c0b7d05d4aa9be6353f18945186f1enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/22b4332ca667fb462b6a00a2.xml"},{"id":92114985,"identity":"e6dc40b2-96ea-429b-97d5-f42e5a284a0c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:17:05","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":18201,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/b37c3cdd6f71406d7c8d3a6f.png"},{"id":92114630,"identity":"a3850e74-3f57-4148-9fbb-e0e78bc2df39","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:09:05","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":32028,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/6c03c1c740ce6338c8726d3e.png"},{"id":92114631,"identity":"8e8cad4f-400c-4149-bab6-9359fc8944c1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:09:05","extension":"png","order_by":10,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":28178,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/f16d32c6fddabd21e8aba75a.png"},{"id":92114634,"identity":"b3d9236f-26cd-403d-ba05-20005c735c4b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:09:05","extension":"png","order_by":11,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":94656,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/07f9b97d330943318c807c48.png"},{"id":92114984,"identity":"729b9eb5-7879-4bec-aea4-65e4421f3d73","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:17:05","extension":"xml","order_by":12,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":122832,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"1e29c0b7d05d4aa9be6353f18945186f1structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/8a14399a694d65d2f445f3d5.xml"},{"id":92114636,"identity":"b8e90368-8f4a-4e18-9bf4-328e6b598f17","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-24 19:09:05","extension":"html","order_by":13,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":130958,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1/66b3ed10ce82aed1e178d830.html"},{"id":103088012,"identity":"813255c0-0a53-4d96-ad12-3d9206361bd0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-20 16:10:58","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":695673,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptESDSep24BMC.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7684828/v1_covered_31b88ff1-806a-4a46-b7f3-7a891e9b791a.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Early Sexual Debut among Young Women of Reproductive Age in Bangladesh: An Exploration through Survival Analysis","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Early sexual debut, Survival analysis, Female youth, Bangladesh","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7684828/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7684828/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eEarly sexual debut (ESD) is a significant public health concern globally, specifically in lower-middle-income countries where traditional gender norms dominate. Patriarchal beliefs regarding sexuality contribute significantly to health risks for adolescent females. ESD increases the risk of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, adverse birth outcomes, and psychosocial problems. This study utilized data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2022 to investigate the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of ESD among young women aged 15\u0026ndash;24. Out of 4,750 weighted respondents across the age group (15\u0026ndash;19 and 20\u0026ndash;24), the combined prevalence of early sexual debut was 83.52%, with 51.4% of the respondents having their first sexual experience at ages 16\u0026ndash;18, and only 16.5% had it after 18 years. Results of survival analysis showed that youth who began cohabiting after age 18 years had significantly lower risk (AHR: 0.01; 95%CI: 0.009\u0026ndash;0.015) of experiencing ESD, while female youths with secondary or higher education had 69% less likelihood of experiencing ESD than those with no formal education (AHR:0.31; 95%CI: 0.24\u0026ndash;0.40). Wealthier households presented a 22.0% lower risk (AHR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.70\u0026ndash;0.86); urban youth (AHR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74 \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.89) also had a lower risk. Working youth (AHR: 1.16; 9595% CI: 1.05 \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1.28) and knowledge of contraceptives also had a higher risk of experiencing ESD. Study findings suggested that policymakers and respective stakeholders should give appropriate attention to empowering women, enhancing household wealth status, and increasing media exposure to reduce early sexual debut among young women of reproductive age.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Early Sexual Debut among Young Women of Reproductive Age in Bangladesh: An Exploration through Survival Analysis","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-24 19:09:00","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7684828/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"9b254574-5d34-45e5-a3cc-82bb61d0cc0a","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 24th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-20T16:10:22+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-24 19:09:00","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7684828","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7684828","identity":"rs-7684828","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}