LAUSR

Abstract Transactional sexual relationships (TSRs) are of concern because of the negative health outcomes associated with the practice. Lack of condom use and multiple concurrent partnerships increase the risk of HIV infection and unintended pregnancies. For these reasons, a multitude of studies have been done to better understand the determinants of these relationships, particularly among youth who engage in sex with wealthier and often older partners. While the economic motivations among youth are known, broader determinants, such as having at least one child are rarely investigated. The role of having children is important to consider, as this suggests an economic motive for these relationships related to childcare needs. The objective of this study is to determine the association between having a child and TSRs among young women in South Africa. Cross-sectional data of 331 young females who engage in this practice are analysed. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regressions are fit to the data to determine the association. Results show that youth not living with parents (84.96%) and those who see more than one sexual partner as acceptable (66.01%) engage in TSRs. Further, having at least one child increases the odds (OR = 1.98 p-value 0.004) of engaging in TSRs. In conclusion, having at least one child, as an economic motivation underlying TSRs should be taken into policy and intervention considerations. Young mothers should be specifically targeted in socioeconomic policies to enable them to care for their offspring without needing to engage in TSRs.