RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG YOUTHS IN ASSOSA SECONDARY AND PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. World Health Organization defines youth as person between 15 and 24 years of age. This is a time of transition from childhood to adulthood where new behaviors are more easily learned than when in adulthood. Objective: The main aim of this study was to assess risky sexual behavior and associated factors among Assosa general secondary and college preparatory students. Methods: The source population for this study were all school youths in Assosa 20 and preparatory school attending their high school (secondary [9-10] and preparatory [11-12]) level education by the year 2010 E.C. Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 321 participants. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Collected data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Crude and adjusted odds ratio with its confidence interval of 95% was used as measure of association and statistical significance was declared at P<0.05. Results: Out of the study subjects; 80 (24.9%) respondents were sexually active. Among the sexually active students: 18(22.5%) reported inconsistent use of condom, 12(15%) reported sexual contact with commercial sex workers and 56 (70%) reported having more than one sexual partner. 79 (24.6%) of the students had risky sexual behavior. Only 43(13.4%) reported high chance of acquiring Human Immune Virus and Sexual Transmitted Infection. Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that being single AOR=8.5 (CI: 1.901, 8.550), family marital status being divorced, widowed or separated AOR= 2.4 (CI: 1.34, 4.37) and alcohol consumption AOR= 7.139 (CI: 3.816, 13.356) were associated with risky sexual behavior. Conclusion: This study revealed that risky sexual practice of the study area was relatively high among the respondents. Recommendation: The school, local health bureau and other stakeholders should work together to address the identified risky behaviors with particular focus on behavior change communication.