Abstract
Introductionadolescent undergraduate students engage in sexual acts that put them at risk of contracting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies. Even though the social context of early adolescence accounts for developmental changes in later phase of life, its impact on adolescents' risky sexual behaviour has not been extensively explored. In this study, we examined how the social context of early adolescence influenced adolescent's risky sexual behaviour in the university.Methodsqualitative data were collected from 24 adolescent undergraduate students of four universities in South-eastern Nigeria. Both males and females, within the age of 16-19 years were interviewed. The data were coded, managed with the use of Atlas.ti software and thematically analysed.Resultsthe findings indicated that risky sexual behaviours among adolescent undergraduate students are embedded in the quality of sex education by parents at early adolescence. As such, unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners were rampant among adolescents who were not exposed to quality sex education at early adolescence. Adolescents whose parents are religious and/or authoritative but did not teach sex education during early adolescence engaged in risky sexual behaviours in the university. Also, adolescent undergraduate students that were raised in rural areas indulged in unprotected sex because of limited access to sex education during early adolescence.Conclusionsocial context of early adolescence means a lot for adolescents' sexual experience in later phase of life. When parents provide their children the right information about sex, it can protect them from risky sexual behaviours as they grow older.
Highlights
Adolescentspopulation is estimated to be 1.2 billion [1] and the majority of them are sexually active [2]
Adolescents who were connected with their parents during early adolescence reported that it influenced their sexual behaviour in the university
We found that social relationships with peers at early adolescence only served as source of information on sexual activities but did not contribute to risky sexual behaviour like having multiple sex partners at later adolescence
Summary
Adolescentspopulation is estimated to be 1.2 billion [1] and the majority of them are sexually active [2]. Adolescents practice sex in unsafe conditions that expose them to various sexual and reproductive health problems [3,4]. The consequences of these are dire and sometimes contribute to premature deaths [5]. Nigeria is home to one-third of all adolescents in developing countries [5] and many of them are at risk of being infected with STIs, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other associated consequences of unsafe sex. In South-eastern Nigeria alone, 17% of adolescents have shown prevalence of STIs and HIV while 32% have had unsafe abortions [6]. Studies on adolescentssexual behaviours are important because promoting healthy behaviours and preventing risky sex among adolescents are important for the countrys future health [1] and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of 2030
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