Abstract:
Background: sexual initiation at younger age increases young peoples' risk for infection with
HIV and other STIs, and reproductive health problems. It is crucial to understand the factors
associated with pre-marital sexual practices in a broader context for designing and
implementing effective interventions targeting adolescents.
Objective; was to assess pre-marital sexual practices and identify associated factors among high
school students, Keffa zone, SNNPR, ETHIOPIA.
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from March 5-25/2014 in Keffa zone among
high school students; using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Total
sample size of 1,004 was calculated using single and two population proportion formula. The
quantitative data were collected using structured and self- administered questionnaires and the
data were coded, edited and entered into Epi data 3.13, data base, and exported to SPSS 16 for
windows for analysis. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the strength of associations of
selected variables. Logistic regression was applied to control the effects of some variables on the
outcome variables. Focus group discussions (FGD) as well as in-depth interviews were
conducted and finding was first transcribed, summarized, analyzed with quantitative finding.
Results: among the sampled students 138 (13.7%) of males and 73(14.6%) of females surveyed
adolescents had experienced sexual intercourse. The mean age of sexual initiation was 15.8
years for male and 15.4 years for female students. Logistic regression analysis showed that age
of respondents (AOR [95% CI] =22.55[3.42, 148.85]), watching pornographic materials (sexual
content news papers and magazines) (AOR [95% CI] =2.69[1.01, 7.15] were associated with
adolescent sexual practice.
Conclusion: The lowest mean age of premarital sexual practice in the study area as compared to
several studies conducted in Ethiopia indicating that adolescents are at higher risk of STDs and
other adverse reproductive health outcomes. Delaying sexual debut is the pillar of HIV/STIs
prevention among young people. This can be achieved through education programs targeted to
sexual activities at earlier life, strengthen and implement the proclamation designed for the age
at marriage.
