The Prevalence of Pre-marital Sexual Practice and Its Contributing Factors in Robit High School Students

Abstract

Sexual activities among high school students have been reported to be increased worldwide. Schools are the ideal places where adequate and accurate information be provided along with their formal education. Some studies revealed that 2 out of 4 peoples in urban Ethiopia practiced their first sexual intercourse in respective high schools. The aim of this study is to assess the status of the premarital sexual practice and its associated factors among high school students at Robit town. A cross sectional study was conducted Among Robit high school students from May to June 2012.Of 242, students 14.9% (69.4% of males and 30.6% females) reported having practiced premarital sexual intercourse. All students had their first sexual intercourse after the age of 15 years. Among those who were sexually active 41.7% and 58.3% were grade 9th and 10th respectively. The main reasons for initiation of the first sexual intercourse were 44.4%, 27.8%, 11.1%, 8.3%, and 8.3% were full in love, had desire, peer pressure, to set money and was drunk respectively. The study findings revealed that there is a high Prevalence of premarital sexual practices among the students. In addition school students are practicing risky sexual behaviors such as multiple sexual partners and sex before marriage. As a result, an integrated effort needs to be initiated to address such school students’ sexual and reproductive health problems.