Risky sexual behaviors and associated factors among high school students of Dawuro Zone, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Risky sexual behavior still results in human health problems, especially affecting young people. So, this study aimed to determine the magnitude of risky sexual behavior and associated risk factors among high school and preparatory students in Dawro Zone, Southern Ethiopia. A total of 630 students participated in the study; making the response rate 99.5%. Among those students, 305 (48.4%) had started sexual intercourse before data collection. The mean and standard deviation of the age of study participants was 19.12 years (+SD 1.1827) respectively. Of those who started sex, 278 (91%) of them reported unsafe sexual practices. Being in the 20-25 age group (AOR=2.5, 95% CI=1.42, 4.49), having monthly pocket money (AOR=9.4, 95% CI=5.28, 16.81), rare church attendance (AOR=8.8, 95% CI=4.95, 15.73), living without families (AOR=2.37, 95% CI=1.26, 4.44), parental polygamous marriage type (AOR=5.41, 95% CI=1.55, 18.90), no access to information to unsafe sexual practice (AOR=3.60, 95% CI=2.11, 6.13) and poorly knowledgeable to unsafe sexual practice(AOR=4.59, 95% CI=2.630,8.018), were significantly associated with the unsafe sexual practice.