Risky sexual behaviours and their determinants among school-going youths in jinja municipality; a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: Risky sexual behaviours refer to an individual’s conduct in early sexual intercourse, unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners that increase the susceptibility of the person to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV/AIDs, unwanted pregnancies, psychological distress. The study examined risky sexual behaviours and their determinants among day secondary school going youths in Jinja municipality. Objective: To establish the presence and extent of risky sexual behaviours and their associated factors among secondary school going youths in Jinja municipality. Methodology and data analysis: This study employed a cross-sectional design using quantitative techniques of data collection and analysis. A total of 320 participants was selected using random sampling techniques and interviewed. Selection of participants, class list was obtained from each class and computer-generated random numbers was used to select study participants. Data was analysed using STATA 14. At univariate level, descriptive statistics was reported while chi-square test was used at bivariate level to determine the association between the dependent and independent variables and multiple logistic regression was used at multivariate level. Results: 320 respondents including 149 male (46.71%) and 170 female (53.29%) age 15-24 years were interviewed on risky sexual behaviours and their determinants that would lead to school dropout, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), unwanted pregnancy, early sexual intercourse among school going youths. One respondent did not answer the questions and was excluded leaving a total number of 319 youth studied. Some 26.8% of the school going youths were sexually active and of these sexually active youth 54.55% male and 45.45% female were involved in high risky sexual behaviour. Conclusion: Age at first sex were the major factors associated with high risky sexual behaviours. Therefore, the study finding suggest the need to promote religious activities, government and different cultural efforts aimed at delaying early consent for sex, discouraging early courtship formations and promoting the institution of marriage as the desirable goal among the youth. KEYWORDS: Risky sexual behaviours, school youths.