Abstract:
Background
Youngpeopleconstitutesoneofthemostdynamichumanresourcebases,
duetotheirstrengthandyouthfulnesstheypeoplebegintoexploretheir
sexuality and have sexualrelationships thatmay have unfavourable
outcomelikeunwantedpregnancies,abortions,STIsandHIV/AIDS.
Objective
Thisstudyaimstodeterminesexualpracticesandfactorsaffectingsexual
outcomesamongyoungpeopleinOlukuCommunity,OviaNorthEast,Local
Government,EdoState,SouthSouth,Nigeria.
Methods
Thiswasacross-sectionalstudyconductedbetweenJanuaryandJune,
2013.Itutilizedmulti-stagesamplingmethod.Datawascollectedusing
intervieweradministeredquestionnaire.
Results
Atotalof400youngpeopleparticipatedinthisstudywithameanageof
17.8±3.9years.Sexdistributionshowedthereweremorefemales211
(52.8%)thanmales189(47.3).Themeanageforfemaleswas17.1years(SD=3.9years)andmaleswas
18.1years(SD=3.9years).Half(49.0%)ofyoungperson’sinOlukuhadexperiencedsexualintercourse,
most154(79.4%))ofwhichwereunplanned.Theirfirstsexualexperienceoccurredbetweentheagesof
13to18years,withameanageof17.2±3.4years;mostwerewitholderpartnerswhowere
neighbourhoodfriendsandschoolmates.Sixtyeightpercentofrespondentshavekissedatleastonceor
more,73.7%havepracticedhuggingoverthelast6months.AthirdhashadpregnancyandSTIasan
outcomeofasexualencounter,factorsaffectingoutcomeofsexualencounterwereage,youngerageof
firstintercourse,sexandfamilystructure
ConclusionandRecommendations
Governmentandschoolsshouldhaveacontinuouspeereducationandtrainingonlifebuildingskillsfor
youngpeoplesoastoincreasetheageofsexualdebutandreduceunfavourableoutcomesofunwanted
pregnancyandSTIs.Also,theStateshouldestablishinstitutionalstructureslikeYouthfriendlycentresin
Olukucommunitywhichwillhelptocoordinateandservetheneedsofyoungperson’sespeciallytheir
sexual,reproductiveneedsandothersocialneeds.
