Sexual activity of adolescent school girls in an urban secondary school in cameroon.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to describe the extent of sexual activity in adolescent school girls.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study with prolective collection of data carried out at Lycée General Leclerc, Yaounde (Cameroon), from October 1 to November 30, 2011. Heterosexual coitus was considered as sexual activity. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was proposed to all consenting girl students aged 10 to 19 years. The data were analyzed using Epi Info 3.2.1 and Microsoft Excel 2007 software.


RESULTS
Of the 2660 students who responded to the questionnaire, 21.3% (566) admitted being sexually active. Out of these, 64.3% (364) were aged between 10 and 16 years at their first heterosexual contact. The mean age at the first sexual intercourse was 15.3 years. Although 56.4% (319) of the sexually active respondents had only one sexual partner, 43.6% (247) of them had at least two partners. Sexual activity was occasional in 71.4% of those being sexually active. Meanwhile, 52.1% (295) of the sexually active adolescent girls used condoms during sexual intercourse, 41.5% (235) did so occasionally, and 6.4% (36) had regular unprotected sex.


CONCLUSIONS
More than one-fifth of adolescent girls were sexually active in this study. Sexual intercourse started mostly at the age of 16 or less, and it was mostly occasional. Half of the cases had multiple sexual partners, and half were not using condoms during sexual intercourse. We, thus, recommend the implementation of interventions aimed at delaying the age of the first sexual intercourse and accessibility of condoms to students in this setting.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetric, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé Gynaeco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Pascal
P
Foumane
Andreas
A
Chiabi
Christelle
C
Kamdem
Francisca
F
Monebenimp
Julius Sama
JS
Dohbit
Robinson Enow
RE
Mbu
Adolescent school girls; Cameroon; Condom use; Sexual activity; Sexually transmitted infections; Unwanted pregnancies