Knowledge, attitude and practice towards risky sexual behaviors among secondary and preparatory students of Metu town, south western Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Sexual risk behaviors are defined as sexual activities that may make an individual liable to the risk of sexually transmitted infections including Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and unplanned pregnancies. Adolescents are at high risk of developing sexual risk behavior. The rate of risky sexual behaviors and the spread of STIs continue to be increase among the adolescent population. Therefore this study aimed to assess Metu secondary and preparatory school adolescent knowledge, attitude, and practice of risky sexual behaviors. METHODS: Institution based descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among Metu secondary and preparatory school students from 04 Feb 2019–07 June 2019. The study participants were selected through systematic random sampling techniques and the data was collected through self-administered questionnaires. A Total of 361 study subjects were included in the study. Data was entered in EpiData and analyzed by using SPSS version 21. RESULTS: Three hundred sixty one respondents participated in this study. Of those, 75.9% of them have awareness about risky sexual behaviors and about 76.5. % of them has awareness on consequences of unsafe sex. Among the total study participants, about 22.7% of them had previously practiced in sexual activity; of these 61.7% of respondents had more than one sexual partner. From the respondents who had practiced sex, 19.8% of them had always used condom during their sexual intercourse with their partners, while 58% of them never used condom during sexual intercourse. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the majority of the students have an awareness regarding sexual risk behaviors, a considerable number of students have practiced risky sexual behaviors that might predispose them for different sexual and reproductive health problems and peer pressure was revealed as a major factor that influences the respondents towards their first sexual intercourse. Peers have greater influence on the positive and negative behavior of their friends. Therefore the school should emphasize on promoting peer educators and peer discussion to protect adolescents and youth from risky sexual behaviors.