Assessment of risky sexual behavior and practice among Aksum University students, Shire Campus, Shire Town, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2017

Abstract

ObjectiveHaving sex at early age, having multiple sexual partners, having sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and unprotected sexual behaviors are the common characteristics of risky sexual behavior which increases risk of individuals to sexuality and reproductive health problems. Risky sexual behavior is the most common problem in adolescents and young adults which may expose individuals for permanent social, economical, psychological and physical problem. So that this study focus on assessment of risk sexual behavior using institution based cross-sectional study design on 287 randomly selected subjects among Aksum University students.ResultsAlmost 60% students reported to have ever had sexual activity. Of which 86 (83.5%) and 112 (64.4%) reported having inconsistent condom use and multiple sexual partners respectively. Even though more than half of first sexual intercourse (61.5%) starts due to their desire but still peer pressure and alcohol have significant effect. Similarly the study indicated that a significant segment of students have risk sexual behaviors which increase individuals’ risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS. Unless appropriate age and institutional targeted interventions exist, certain behaviors can place the university students at greater risk of HIV infection and sexually transmitted disease.

Unprotected Sex and Associated Factors among Adolescent Students of Rift Valley University Jimma Campus, Jimma Town, South West Ethiopia: Institution Based Cross Sectional Study

“…However, this figure is high than in Haramaya, that showed 11.5% of adolescent had non-regular partner in the last 12 months (30). On the other hand this figure is lower than study in Tana (34%), Pawi Wereda high school students (35%), Addis Ababa University students (37%) and Tanzanian higher educational students (39%), and much lower than other study in Aksum University (64.4%) [18,19,[31][32][33]. This may point out that having sex with multiple sexual partners of school adolescents is high and needs attention to change their risk behavior.…”

Assessments of Sexual Practices and Khat Chewing Habits Among Dire Dawa University Students, Eastern Ethiopia

“…Since the majority of Ethiopian universities have only recently been established, most university officials have not yet made HIV and STI prevention a priority and have little experience implementing HIV and STI prevention, despite these being environments that expose students to greater opportunities and circumstances that increase risky behavior. The current study by Kebede et al (2018), indicate that interventions in the universities have focused on abstinence as policy but, abstinence by itself does not work. Their study indicated that among university students, 64.4% ever had a practice of sex with multiple sexual partners and 83.5% use condom inconsistently.…”

“…The findings of this study revealed that the sexual practices of the respondents having sex with uncommitted partners 136 (67.7%) was the higher response for sexual practices and sex before discussing risk factors131 (65.2) and Sex under the influence of khat chewing 82 (40.8%). According to Kebede et al (2018), study conducted on risky sexual behavior and practice among Aksum University students revealed that out of the total respondents, 174 (60.6%) of students had sexual experience. From the total respondents who had practiced sexual intercourse 66 (37.9%) of them reported that their first sexual intercourse was before age of 18 years while 89 (51.2%) of them had their first sex at above or equal to 18 years.…”

“…From the total respondents who had practiced sexual intercourse 66 (37.9%) of them reported that their first sexual intercourse was before age of 18 years while 89 (51.2%) of them had their first sex at above or equal to 18 years. All of the respondents with sexual experience 174 (100%) has practiced vaginal sex, followed by anal and oral in which 6.3 and 5.2% respectively (Kebede et al, 2018).…”

“…Study conducted in Ethiopia have shown that those engaging in sexual contact report multiple partners, inconsistent and incorrect condom use, and having lifetime history of chewing khat, having extra sexual partners, watching pornographic film and drug abuse was significantly associated with sexually transmitted infections and the likelihood of contracting H I V / A I D S (Abate et al,2018;Kebede et al, 2018). Since the majority of Ethiopian universities have only recently been established, most university officials have not yet made HIV and STI prevention a priority and have little experience implementing HIV and STI prevention, despite these being environments that expose students to greater opportunities and circumstances that increase risky behavior.…”