Influence of leisure on sexual behaviour of young people with hearing and vision loss in Ghana

Abstract

Despite the potential of leisure to shape the sexual behaviour of young people with disability, there is limited knowledge on the subject. This paper explores the influence of leisure on the sexual behaviour of young people with hearing and vision loss, using data from 2127 young people aged 10–24 years from all the 16 special schools for the deaf and the blind in Ghana. The findings revealed that young people with hearing and vision loss who engaged in leisure have a higher likelihood of engaging in kissing and casual sex with the odds being higher for those with vision loss. Young people with hearing loss who engaged in leisure were, however, more inclined towards sex with a regular partner. The findings illuminate the influence of informal spaces on the sexual behaviour of young people with disability, hence the need to consider such spaces in the provision of reproductive health education.