Factors Associated with Condom Use Self-Efficacy Among Preparatory School Students in Sodo Town, Southern Ethiopia 2020: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Condoms are playing a central role in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, human immune virus, and unintended pregnancy particularly among young peoples. Therefore, this study aimed to assess factors associated with condom use self-efficacy among preparatory school youths in Sodo town, Ethiopia. METHODS: This institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 424 study participants from January 25 to February 20, 2020. Data were collected using a validated pretested structured questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was done and results were presented in texts and tables. Those variables at bivariate analysis with p-value <0.2 at 95% confidence level were moved to a multivariate logistic regression model to control potential confounding variables. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was computed to ascertain association during multivariate analysis model. Statistical tests at P-value <0.05 were considered as cutoff point to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: Out of a total of 424 youths, only 416 had participated in the study yielding a response rate of 98.1%. The prevalence of higher self-efficacy among respondents was 70%. Factors that were independently associated with condom use self-efficacy in multivariate analysis were having sexual experience (AOR=2.047,95% CI:1.141–3.675), having life goals (AOR=1.736, 95% CI: 1.021–2.951), having social support (AOR=2.395,95% CI:1.501–5.458), and having good knowledge about condoms (AOR=2.535,95% CI:1.499–4.282). CONCLUSION: The finding of this study showed that participants who had sexual experience, social support, knowledge of the human immune virus, and having life goals were found to be significantly associated with condom use self-efficacy. These results suggest ways to increase self-efficacy for condom use among youth that can increase the effectiveness of future interventions for youth.