A risky coping strategy: a cross-sectional study on the prevalence and predictors of multiple sexual partnerships among adolescent girls and young women in artisanal mining in Uganda and Ghana during the COVID-19 lockdown

Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) attracts some of the most vulnerable populations, including females who constitute close to half of the labor force. Among this group are adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) who, driven by poverty, engage in risky sexual behaviors that are detrimental to their health. The situation was dire during the COVID-19 lockdown. This paper examines the determinants of multiple sexual partnerships (MSPs) (operationally defined as two or more partners—serial or concurrent during the COVID-19 lockdown in the year preceding the study) among AGYW involved in gold ASM (ASGM). It is based on a cross-sectional survey of 1618 AGYW in ASGM communities in Uganda and Ghana. We used frequency distributions and Pearson’s chi-squared tests for descriptive analysis and binary logistic regression to examine the determinants of MSPs. Results indicate that the prevalence of MSPs was 25% (29% for Ghana and 22% for Uganda). The odds of MSPs were higher among AGYW from Ghana, those who worked directly in the mines, worked during the lockdown, were underpaid, consumed alcohol/substances, and experienced sexual violence. The high prevalence of MSPs among AGYW in ASM requires targeted interventions, given its close association with health risks. Response requires integrated interventions addressing poverty through promotion of financial literacy and microfinance, promoting a safe work environment, addressing risky behaviors such as alcohol and substance misuse, plus gender norms and practices that degrade AGYW and negatively affect their well-being.