AEGiS-15IAC: Sexual behavior of female undergraduates in the freshman year at the university of Ibadan, Nigeria.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Sexual behavior of female undergraduates in the freshman year at the university of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. C10282)

Faseru B, Sangowawa AO, Okoro CA, Lawoyin TO
Department of Community Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: For biological, economic and social reasons females especially adolescents and young adults are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS. This study was conducted among the female undergraduates in the freshman year to assess high-risk sexual behaviour among them.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Using self-administered questionnaires, all female students who registered in the health center at the time of the study were enrolled.

RESULTS: Age range of respondents was 16-30yrs (mean age 20.3 ± 2.6). Of the 223 students seen, 157 of them (70.4%) had never had sex. Lowest age at sexual debut was 9years (Mean age 19.3 ± 3.4). Early sexual activity was associated with an increased number of lifetime sexual partners (p=0.008). Of the sexually experienced, 50(75%) had their first sexual contact with boyfriend, 11(16.7%) with casual friend, 2(3%) had sex with older men for money and 3(4.5%) were victims of rape. Most of their sexual partners (79%) were between ages 20-29. At the sexual debut, 38 out of 66(58%) did not use condom. In the last 1 and 12 months, 40.9% and 56.1% respectively had sex. Number of their sexual partners within that period ranged from 1-4. At present 62.1% use condom while only 14.6% reported using it always. Thirty-seven (56%) of them have ever had one sexual partner, whereas one (1.5%) has had 10 sexual partners and another one (1.5%), 11 partners. Majority of those that claimed to have single partners could not vouch that their male partners did not have sex with another person apart from them.

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a large proportion of female students have not initiated sex before entering university. However, high-risk sexual behaviour is still prominent among the sexually active. Family life education must continue at this level to reduce high-risk sexual behaviour thereby preventing HIV/AIDS transmission.

Keywords: AEGIS, Sexual Behavior, Universities, Sexual Partners, Condoms, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Students, Sex Education, HIV Seropositivity, Coitus, Cross-Sectional Studies, Behavior, Questionnaires, Sex, Data Collection, Nigeria, Female, Humans, Male, Adolescence, Adult

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