Abstract
Background: premature sexual debut increases the risk of sexually transmitted infection including HIV/AIDS, having many sexual partners, unintended pregnancy, abortion and its complications. In addition, the timing of primary sex is affected by a variety of factors and this makes the consequences of female sexuality much more serious. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore factors that affect high school female students. Methods : School based cross-sectional study was conducted from December, 15-19/2015. A total of 845 high school female students were selected by multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were gathered using structured, self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered, cleaned and analyzed using Epi-Info version 3.5.1. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to explore factors associated with early sexual debut. Result: Among high school girl students 53.7% reported early sexual debut. The mean age at primary sexual initiation was 16.27 (SD ±2.1) years. The major predictors were age group 20-24 [AOR=3.03, 95% CI; (2.09, 4.39)], marital status [AOR=0.05, 95% CI; (0.02, 0.12)], peer pressure [AOR=3.85, 95% CI; (2.66, 5.58)], alcohol use (AOR=2.01, 95% CI; (1.41, 2.87)] and watching pornographic videos [AOR=3.01, 95% CI; (2.06, 4.40)]. Conclusion : Significant proportion of high school students have started early sexual debut. The finding suggests that the need to communicating and supporting school students to help them make informed and safer decision on their sexual behavior. Therefore, Huruta town administration education and health bureau should design a persistent and effective health education, establishing and strengthening center/club should be intensified to reduce early sexual debut in high school girl students. Keywords : Early, Sexual debut, female students.
Highlights
Coital activity is not a new incident in sub-Saharan Africa
This study has been intended to explore factors associated with early sexual debut among high school girl students in huruta high school, Huruta town
Age of the respondents was associated with sexual debut; those female students whose age group 20-24 years were 3 times more likely to start sexual debut compared to 15-19 years (AOR=3.03, 95% CI; (2.09, 4.39))
Summary
Coital activity is not a new incident in sub-Saharan Africa. Today, secondary sexual characteristic (maturity) occurs at an earlier age, and age at marriage is going up; adolescents’ sexual initiation is found to be earlier and premarital. Ethiopia as one of a Sub-Sahara African country, regarded as having many cultural diversity, there are diverse culture, social values and practices that influence the age at which young girls begin sexual proximity. In this practice they become sufferers of unprotected sex, early marriage, early pregnancy and mortality from unsafe abortion [2,3]. For women age 25-49 years old, the median age at first sexual intercourse is 16.6 years that is very close to the first marriage of 16.5 years [4]
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