Table 3 Mean differences in age of sexual debut and number of sexual partners based on social environment

Botswana

Parental monitoring

Monitored

14.16 (13.66–14.65)

0.426

1.88 (1.37–2.38)

0.197

Not monitored

14.37 (13.74–14.99)

2.25 (1.86–2.65)

Parental connectedness

Connected

14.14 (13.63–14.66)

0.405

1.92 (1.51–2.33)

0.235

Not connected

14.40 (13.71–15.08)

2.38 (1.66–3.10)

Perceived peer support

Supported

14.27 (13.76–14.78)

0.730

2.02 (1.64–2.41)

0.757

Not supported

14.16 (13.41–14.91)

2.11 (1.46–2.76)

Ghana

Parental monitoring

Monitored

12.96 (12.73–13.99)

0.145

2.66 (2.37–2.95)

0.753

Not monitored

12.74 (12.50–12.97)

2.61 (2.41–2.80)

Parental connectedness

Connected

12.91 (12.70–13.12)

0.307

2.54 (2.31–2.78)

0.157

Not connected

12.76 (12.50–13.01)

2.75 (2.51–2.99)

Perceived peer support

Supported

12.93 (12.72–13.13)

0.265

2.70 (2.48–2.93)

0.172

Not supported

12.77 (12.49–13.05)

2.46 (2.16–2.77)

Kenya

Parental monitoring

Monitored

12.55 (12.22–12.88)

0.579

–

–

Not monitored

12.73 (12.22–13.24)

–

Parental connectedness

Connected

12.61 (12.30–12.91)

0.447

–

–

Not connected

12.45 (12.09–12.81)

–

Perceived peer support

Supported

12.48 (12.23–12.74)

0.306

–

–

Not supported

12.82 (12.20–13.44)

–

–

Mauritania

Parental monitoring

Monitored

12.83 (12.35–13.31)

0.736

2.66 (2.23–3.09)

0.264

Not monitored

12.93 (12.04–13.83)

2.23 (1.48–2.98)

Parental connectedness

Connected

13.14 (12.62–13.66)

0.235

2.73 (2.27–3.19)

0.093

Not connected

12.60 (11.64–13.57)

2.21 (1.61–2.81)

Perceived peer support

Supported

13.15 (12.54–13.77)

0.10

2.47 (2.02–2.92)

0.417

Not supported

12.52 (11.68–13.38)

2.33 (1.81–2.85)

Mozambique

Parental monitoring

Monitored

14.40 (13.79–15.01)

0.673

1.56 (1.39–1.73)

0.289

Not monitored

14.27 (13.84–14.70)

1.67 (1.47–1.86)

Parental connectedness

Connected

14.50 (14.05–14.95)

0.218

1.61 (1.44–1.79)

0.987

Not connected

14.07 (13.36–14.79)

1.61 (1.41–1.82)

Perceived peer support

Supported

14.28 (13.81–14.75)

0.484

1.67 (1.43–1.91)

0.313

Not supported

14.51 (13.91–15.12)

1.54 (1.39–1.68)

Namibia

Parental monitoring

Monitored

14.65 (14.45–14.85)

0.186

2.20 (2.06–2.34)

0.470

Not monitored

14.48 (14.22–14.73)

2.31 (2.03–2.60)

Parental connectedness

Connected

14.65 (14.44–14.85)

0.321

2.14 (1.97–2.31)

0.084

Not connected

14.48 (14.18–14.78)

2.43 (2.16–2.70)

Perceived peer support

Supported

14.75 (14.53–14.96)

0.001

2.16 (1.99–2.33)

0.108

Not supported

14.14 (13.86–14.41)

2.46 (2.14–2.79)

Senegal

Parental monitoring

Monitored

13.08 (12.37–13.79)

0.687

1.68 (1.38–1.99)

0.373

Not monitored

13.22 (12.29–14.15)

2.15 (1.02–3.28)

Parental connectedness

Connected

13.74 (12.74–14.73)

0.031

1.66 (1.38–1.94)

0.343

Not connected

12.70 (12.00–13.39)

2.03 (1.25–2.81)

Perceived peer support

Supported

12.99 (12.43–13.55)

0.499

1.78 (1.66–1.90

0.472

Not supported

13.38 (12.03–14.73)

2.01 (1.11–2.91)

Seychelles

Parental monitoring

Monitored

13.35 (13.09–13.60

0.007

2.35 (2.11–2.59)

0.01

Not monitored

12.90 (12.63–13.16)

2.84 (2.50–3.18)

Parental connectedness

Connected

13.16 (12.88–13.43)

0.751

2.42 (2.14–2.71)

0.107

Not connected

13.11 (12.88–13.34)

2.73 (2.43–3.04)

Perceived peer support

Supported

13.22 (12.95–13.49)

0.292

2.50 (2.27–2.73)

0.439

Not supported

13.06 (12.82–13.30)

2.65 (2.28–3.03)

Swaziland

Parental monitoring

Monitored

13.12 (12.86–13.39)

0.702

2.13 (1.90–2.37)

0.458

Not monitored

13.05 (12.77–13.33)

1.97 (1.63–2.31)

Parental connectedness

Connected

13.10 (12.86–13.34)

0.672

2.13 (1.83–2.44)

0.945

Not connected

13.17 (12.93–13.41)

2.11 (1.73–2.50)

Perceived peer support

Supported

13.14 (12.92–13.36)

0.465

1.93 (1.76–2.10)

0.044

Not supported

13.00 (12.66–13.34)

2.38 (2.00–2.76)

Tanzania

Parental monitoring

Monitored

12.93 (12.22–13.65)

0.013

1.84 (1.40–2.28)

0.765

Not monitored

11.97 (11.58–12.36)

1.92 (1.54–2.30)

Parental connectedness

Connected

12.31 (11.67–12.94)

0.942

1.94 (1.45–2.44)

1.00

Not connected

12.28 (11.70–12.87)

1.94 (1.53–2.35)

Perceived peer support

Supported

11.88 (11.34–12.42)

0.039

1.96 (1.53–2.40)

0.393

Not supported

12.61 (12.01–13.22)

1.79 (1.51–2.07)

Uganda

Parental monitoring

Monitored

14.01 (13.56–14.47)

0.026

2.16 (1.80–2.51)

0.258

Not monitored

13.43 (12.99–13.87)

1.92 (1.53–2.30)

Parental connectedness

Connected

14.05 (13.51–14.59)

0.070

2.00 (1.61–2.39)

0.350

Not connected

13.49 (13.06–13.93)

2.22 (1.79–2.64)

Perceived peer support

Supported

13.98 (13.44–14.52)

0.139

2.11 (1.75–2.46)

0.941

Not supported

13.55 (13.26–13.85)

2.13 (1.59–2.67)

Zambia

Parental monitoring

Monitored

12.88 (12.46–13.31)

0.509

2.79 (2.20–3.38)

0.466

Not monitored

13.04 (12.49–13.58)

2.48 (1.91–3.04)

Parental connectedness

Connected

13.13 (12.71–13.54)

0.182

2.72 (2.28–3.15)

0.982

Not connected

12.73 (12.11–13.34)

2.72 (2.08–3.36)

Perceived peer support

Supported

13.09 (12.62–13.55)

0.152

2.96 (2.34–3.57)

0.225

Not supported

12.65 (12.08–13.21)

2.38 (1.82–2.95)

All countries

Parental

monitoring

Monitored

13.28 (13.08–13.48)

0.135

2.19 (2.05–2.33)

0.490

Not monitored

13.10 (12.89–13.31)

2.13 (2.00–2.26)

Parental connectedness

Connected

13.34 (13.16–13.52)

0.002

2.14 (2.01–2.26)

0.426

Not connected

12.99 (12.76–13.22)

2.21 (2.06–2.37)

Perceived peer support

Supported

13.20 (13.03–13.37)

0.674

2.23 (2.14–2.36)

0.015

Not supported

13.25 (13.00–13.50)

2.03 (1.89–2.17)