Rsky Sexual Behavior and Associated Factors Among High School Students in Gambella Town, South-Western Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: The health threats for adolescents(especially school students) today are predominantly behavioral rather than biomedical and more of today's adolescents are involved in risky sexual behaviors. Ethiopian government had designed reproductive health and Human Immuno deficiency Virus/Aquired Immuno Defficiency Syndrome strategies. But Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey 2011 report showed behavioral gaps that women in the Gambella region report higher mean number of lifetime sexual partners 8.1 than women in other regions 1.2 to 2 partners. Gambella HIV prevalence is 6.5%, higer when compared to 1.5% of the country. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess sexual behavior and associated factors among high school students in Gambella Town in 2014. Methods: An institution based cross-sectional survey was conducted on a random sample of 415 students (97% response rate), on March 14, 2014 in Gambella town, using quantitative technique. Data was collected using pre -tested self administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS for windows version 16 where descriptive statistics was computed. Binary and multiple logistic regression had done. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: From 415 respondents 178(42.9%) ever had sex; 253 (61%) of them were males. One hundred thirty six (76.4%) were sexually active. Parents income (AOR: 0.33, 95% CI:0.14-0.79), parental monitoring (AOR:0.4, 95% CI:0.27-0.60) and substance use (AOR: 1.82, 95% CI:1.23- 2.67) were factors that shows statisticaly significant with risky sexual behavior. Prevalence of risky sexual behavior was 31.3%,,(35.6% male versus 24.7% female) Conclusion: Many students were sexually active, and reported that they use substances. These students also report that they had an exposure of risk sex(inconsistent condom use, multiple sexual partner or never condom use). Government institutions, private sectors and NGOs should have target at substance use and parental monitoring