Table 3 Adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI for mobile phones’ usage association with premarital sex of women and men and condom use at the first sexual encounter in India (2019-21)

Mobile use

No (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Yes

2.30***

[1.93, 2.74]

2.34***

[2, 2.73]

1.42**

[1.05, 1.91]

Age

15–19 (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

20–24

1.85***

[1.56, 2.2]

2.20***

[2.01, 2.4]

1.01

[0.86, 1.18]

25–29

2.60***

[2.1, 3.22]

2.53***

[2.29, 2.81]

1.16

[0.96, 1.4]

Highest level of education

No education (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Primary

0.85

[0.55, 1.31]

1.02

[0.83, 1.26]

1.06

[0.73, 1.54]

Secondary

0.54***

[0.39, 0.75]

0.92

[0.77, 1.09]

0.97

[0.71, 1.31]

Higher

0.53***

[0.37, 0.75]

0.96

[0.8, 1.15]

1.19

[0.85, 1.66]

Area of residence

Urban (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Rural

0.89

[0.74, 1.05]

1.10**

[1.01, 1.2]

0.75***

[0.63, 0.88]

Caste

SC (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

ST

1.24*

[0.97, 1.58]

1.12*

[0.99, 1.26]

0.92

[0.75, 1.15]

OBC

0.88

[0.71, 1.09]

1.00

[0.91, 1.1]

1.08

[0.91, 1.28]

None of the above

0.70***

[0.55, 0.9]

0.77***

[0.69, 0.86]

1.08

[0.88, 1.31]

Religion

Hindu (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Muslim

1.11

[0.88, 1.41]

0.91

[0.81, 1.02]

1.09

[0.87, 1.37]

Christian

2.26***

[1.73, 2.95]

1.33***

[1.12, 1.58]

0.64***

[0.47, 0.89]

Others

1.41*

[1.06, 1.87]

1.27***

[1.1, 1.47]

0.84

[0.65, 1.1]

Wealth quintile

Poorest (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Poorer

1.05

[0.85, 1.31]

1.06

[0.95, 1.18]

1.03

[0.85, 1.25]

Middle

1.02

[0.8, 1.29]

0.97

[0.86, 1.09]

1.17

[0.95, 1.44]

Richer

0.90

[0.69, 1.17]

1.03

[0.91, 1.17]

1.15

[0.92, 1.44]

Richest

0.95

[0.71, 1.28]

1.04

[0.9, 1.2]

1.41***

[1.09, 1.83]

Region

North (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Central

2.30***

[1.83, 2.9]

1.27***

[1.15, 1.4]

0.63***

[0.52, 0.75]

East

1.39**

[1.05, 1.83]

0.63***

[0.56, 0.72]

0.69***

[0.55, 0.88]

Northeast

1.37**

[1.03, 1.83]

0.59***

[0.51, 0.68]

1.05

[0.79, 1.4]

West

1.49***

[1.11, 2]

1.15**

[1.02, 1.31]

0.87

[0.69, 1.11]

South

0.30***

[0.19, 0.47]

0.29***

[0.25, 0.33]

0.66***

[0.5, 0.86]

Drinks Alcohol

No (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Yes

5.26***

[3.7, 7.48]

3.02***

[2.78, 3.29]

0.85**

[0.73, 0.97]

Ever worked

Never (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Yes

1.10

[0.94, 1.29]

1.50***

[1.38, 1.63]

0.79***

[0.67, 0.92]

Stayed away from home

No (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Yes

1.52***

[1.22, 1.89]

1.44***

[1.32, 1.56]

1.14*

[0.99, 1.32]

Bank account

No (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Yes

1.19*

[0.99, 1.42]

1.32***

[1.2, 1.46]

1.92***

[1.6, 2.29]

Mass-media exposure

No (ref.)

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

1

[1, 1]

Partial

1.16

[0.94, 1.43]

1.16**

[1.03, 1.29]

1.25**

[1.02, 1.54]

Full

1.31

[1, 1.71]

1.27***

[1.11, 1.45]

1.27*

[1, 1.61]

Constant

0.01

[0.01, 0.02]

0.03

[0.02, 0.03]

0.77

[0.47, 1.26]

Observations

25,877

27,904

4630