Premarital sex and associated factors among high school Students in kaffa zone, southern nations nationalities Peoples regional state, south west ethiopia

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.