Understanding the Gender Divide in Ghana’s Sexual Health: Insights from the 2022 GDHS

Introduction In the wake of the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS), a striking narrative has emerged regarding the nation’s public health landscape. While Ghana has made strides in healthcare access, the data reveals a persistent "Gender Gap" in sexual risk behaviors. Understanding these numbers is not just about statistics; it’s about shaping future policy and education.

Understanding the Gender Divide in Ghana’s Sexual Health

The Multiple Partner Disparity According to the survey, 15% of Ghanaian men reported having more than one sexual partner in the last 12 months, compared to just 2% of women. This 7.5x difference highlights a significant cultural or behavioral divergence. However, experts suggest that social norms often lead to higher self-reporting among men, while women may face more stigma regarding multiple partners.

The Reality of Protective Measures When it comes to protection, the numbers tell a nuanced story:

• Non-partner encounters: While 35% of men had intercourse with a non-partner, only 28% used a condom.

• The Protective Gap: Women reported lower rates of non-partner intercourse (23%), with an even lower condom usage rate of 11% in those instances.

This suggests that while men engage in "risky" behavior more frequently, the lack of consistent condom use across both genders remains a critical point of intervention for the Ghana Health Service.

The Lifetime "Mean" and Age Demographics The visual indicates that the mean number of lifetime sexual partners for men is 7, while for women it is 2.6. It is vital to note the demographic window: men were surveyed from ages 15–59, whereas women were capped at 49. This decade-long difference accounts for some of the disparity, yet the gap remains statistically significant.

Conclusion: What This Means for Ghana The 2022 GDHS data serves as a wake-up call for targeted health campaigns. Addressing the "Gender Gap" requires more than just distributing resources; it requires tackling the underlying social behaviors that drive these numbers.