Sexual risk behaviour among undergraduate students in Enugu, Nigeria.
This study aims to identify high-risk sexual behaviour among undergraduate students in a developing country and to formulate programmes targeted at reduction of complications of such risky sexual behaviour. This was a questionnaire survey taken of undergraduate students in four institutions of higher learning in Enugu, Nigeria over a 1-month period. The prevalence of sexual activity was 76.8%, with 85.4% of females and 62.3% of males having more than one sexual partner. More female students than their male counterparts (65.7% vs 42.2%) had their first sexual encounter as an adolescent. Sexual risk behaviour that includes having multiple sexual partners, not using a condom, anal and oral sex were more common among the lower social class, adolescents, females and those living off-campus. While economic reasons are a major factor that encourages risky sexual behaviour in the female, the urge to have sex and curiosity, tended to favour such sexual experimentation in the male. Despite a good knowledge of the complications that could follow such risky sex behaviour, the sex lives of the students remained unchanged. Educational and risk reduction programmes targeting a change in belief and behaviour is required to maintain sexual safety among these youth.
Okafor
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II
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Parklane Specialist Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
Obi
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SN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D047568:Unsafe Sex