High risk sexual behaviours for STD/HIV, pregnancies and contraception among high school students in a rural town, north western Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract: A cross-sectional study evaluated STD/HIV related sexual behaviours among 383 (90.8% of the required 422) secondary school students in Kolla Diba town of North Gondar Zone using a pre-tested self-reporting questionnaire. Additionally, the contraceptive utilization and occurrence of pregnancies among the 202 female students was evaluated. There were 122 (31.9%) sexually active students, of these 44 were females. Their mean age of sexual commencement was 16.4(± 2.3 SD) years. The total number of sexual partners in the past six months was around two. Ten (9.3%) had sex with commercial sex workers (CSWs) in the past six months. Only 45.9% had used condoms and half of them regularly. The most common sources of condoms were shops. Fourteen (11.5%) of the sexually active students had contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the past six months. Three hundred and forty nine (91%) of the students have heard about AIDS, 297 (85.1%) believe in its existence and 166 (47.6%) have seen an AIDS patient. Only 65 (18.6%) felt that they can acquire HIV infection. Of the 44 sexually active female students, 11 (25%) are using contraceptives at present. Oral contraceptive pill is the most commonly used method. The major reasons for the non-utilization of a reliable method of contraception among the non-users were fear of side effects, refusal by the partners and refusal by family. Half of all the sexually active female students were pregnant at least once. Seventy four percent of the female students would prefer to deliver at term if pregnant. Only 37 (18.1%) of the females favoured the legalization of abortion. A higher level of education was associated with contraceptive use (p<0.03). The implications of these results are discussed. Strengthening the present educational campaign on AIDS, promotion of family life education and making contraceptives accessible in schools are recommended. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1997;11(1):29-36]