Sexually transmitted infections among young patients at two general outpatient clinics in Southwest, Nigeria: Assessment of knowledge and risk factors

Background: Sexually transmitted infections are one of the health outcomes of risky sexual behaviour and they constitute health burdens among young population. The study assessed the knowledge, prevalence and contributing factors for sexually transmitted infections among young patients seen at two general outpatient clinics.Method: The study adopted a cross-sectional design using a sample size of 370 unmarried young patients that were sexually active. Quantitative data was obtained using structured questionnaires and samples were taken to determine the causative organisms of sexually transmitted infections (STI). Analysis was done with SPSS, chi-square was used to test for association between STI and influencing factors and statistical level of significance was set at 5%. Results: General knowledge assessment showed 90.3% of the respondents knew STIs. Specific STI knowledge showed HIV/AIDS was known by 88.9% and chancroid by 14%. About 26% of the respondent presented with itch, 22.1% with vaginal discharge and 5.9% with swelling on the perineum. Organisms identified were Candida albicans (47%), Non-gonococcal urethritis (17.7%) and the least was Herpes 21.96%. Prevalence of STI was significantly associated with risky sexual behaviour (÷ = 8.437; p = 2 20.004), tertiary education (÷ = 5.330; p= 0.021) and poor family functioning (÷ = 5.507; p=0.005).Conclusion: Sexually transmitted infection was associated with risky sexual behaviour, education on behavioural change towards safe sexual practice is a tool that can help prevent the spread of the infection. French title: Infections sexuellement transmissibles chez les jeunes patients dans deux cliniques générales ambulatoires dans le sud-ouest du Nigéria : Évaluation des connaissances et des facteurs de risque Contexte général de l'étude : Les infections sexuellement transmissibles sont l'un des effets sur la santé des comportements sexuels à risque et elles constituent un fardeau pour la santé de la population jeune. L'étude a évalué les connaissances, la prévalence et les facteurs contributifs des infections sexuellement transmissibles chez les jeunes patients vus dans deux cliniques ambulatoires générales.Méthode de l'étude : L'étude a adopté une conception transversale en utilisant un échantillon de 370 jeunes patients célibataires qui étaient sexuellement actifs. Des données quantitatives ont été obtenues à l'aide d'un questionnaire structuré et des échantillons ont été prélevés pour déterminer les organismes responsables des infections sexuellement transmissibles (IST). L'analyse a été effectuée avec SPSS, le test du chi carré a été utilisé pour tester l'association entre les IST et les facteurs d'influence et le niveau de signification statistique a été fixé à 5 %.Résultat de l'étude: L'évaluation des connaissances générales a montré que 90,3 % des répondants connaissaient les IST. Les connaissances spécifiques sur les ISTont montré que le VIH/SIDAétait connu à 88,9 % et le chancre mou à 14 %. Environ 26 % des répondantes présentaient des démangeaisons, 22,1 % des pertes vaginales et 5,9 % un gonflement du périnée. Les organismes identifiés étaient le Candida albicans (47 %), l'urétrite non gonococcique (17,7 %) et le moins était l'herpès 1,96 %. La prévalence des IST était significativement associée aux comportements sexuels à risque (÷ 2 = 8,437 ; p = 0,004), à l'enseignement supérieur (÷ 2 = 5,330 ; p = 0,021) et au mauvais fonctionnement de la famille (÷2 = 5,507 ; p = 0,005).Conclusion : Les infections sexuellement transmissibles étaient associées à des comportements sexuels à risque, l'éducation sur le changement de comportement vers une pratique sexuelle sans risque est un outil qui peut aider à prévenir la propagation de l'infection.

Understanding Risky Sexual Behaviour Among Undergraduates

Background: Exploring sexual activities that may make individuals vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies is being considered following observation and increased reports of unplanned pregnancies and its attendant consequences among students in tertiary institutions. Objective: Determine the undergraduates’ awareness and attitude towards risky sexual behaviour. Methods: A descriptive Cross-sectional survey was conducted, among year one and year two Medical and Nursing undergraduate students at two tertiary institutions in Rivers State of Nigeria, using a questionnaire adapted from World Health Organisation survey instrument to obtain data on knowledge of and attitude towards risky sexual behaviours. Two hundred and eighty participants were randomly selected. Descriptive analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0. Results: About 92.9% of the respondents are aware that unprotected (oral, anal, vaginal) sexual intercourse is a risky sexual behaviour. Assessing respondents’ attitudes to risky sexual behaviour revealed that 9.3% agree that condom should only be used during sexual intercourse with commercial sex workers. Conclusions: Most Undergraduates are aware of sexual activities that constitute risky sexual behaviours but there is need to cascade this awareness to reflect on general sexual habits and reduce public health emergencies among undergraduates.

Neighbourhood Determinants of Early Sexual Debut and Multiple Sexual Partnerships: A cross-sectional Analysis of Adolescents in Rwanda, Ghana and South Africa.

Background: The relationship between neighbourhood characteristics and youth involvement in risky sexual behaviour such as early sexual debut and multiple sexual partnerships is well established in the literature. However, there are very few empirical studies using Demographic and Health Surveys to unpack the nature of this relationship in Africa. This study aims to identify the neighbourhood characteristics influencing young people's engagement in risky sexual behaviour in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses on young people aged 15 to 24 years were conducted using the most recent Demographic and Health Survey Data (DHS 2014-2016) from Ghana, Rwanda, and South Africa to investigate the relationship between neighbourhood characteristics and youth risky sexual behaviour. Results: Individual and, in particular, neighbourhood characteristics (community poverty, community occupation, community media access, and community education) were found to be substantially linked with youth risky sexual behaviour. Conclusion: To lower the incidence of risky sexual behaviour in the community, programs aimed at appropriate policy options must be intensified. Adopting the implications of these findings is critical for a developmental approach aimed at reaching Africa’s long-term development goal of eliminating STIs among young people.

Relationship Between Socio-Demographic Variables and Risky Sexual Behaviour among Undergraduates in Tertiary Institutions in Rivers State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Significant empirical surveys have been made to investigate sociodemographic factors contributing to Risky Sexual Behaviours among young people. However, there are concerns regarding what influences Risky Sexual Behaviours. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between the sociodemographic variables and Risky Sexual Behaviours among undergraduate students in tertiary institutions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students at two tertiary institutions in Rivers State, Nigeria to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic variables and Risky Sexual Behaviours. Undergraduate students in years one and two from departments of Nursing Science and Medicine and Surgery in PAMO University of Medical Sciences and University of Port Harcourt, College of Medicine were recruited for the study. Two hundred and eighty (280) undergraduate students were randomly selected from a total of 491 as participants in the study. Descriptive and inferential analysis of data using SPSS version 20 was done. Results: Data showed that 60% of the respondents were from the University of Port Harcourt, while 40% were from PAMO University of Medical Sciences. The majority of the students (78.9%) were between 16 -20years, while only 0.7% of the students were ≥31years. Findings revealed that there is no significant relationship between respondents’ sociodemographic variables and awareness of, attitude to risky sexual behaviour. It was found that only gender and age significantly influence practices with an R2 of 0.22. Conclusion: Risky sexual behaviour among young people is significantly associated with age and gender.

Risky sexual behaviour among Russian adolescents: association with internalizing and externalizing symptoms

Background Risky sexual behaviour (RSB) is regarded as a major health problem during adolescence. Russia has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy, abortion and newly diagnosed HIV infections in the world, but research on RSB in Russian youth has been limited. To address this deficit, this study examined the role of several factors, including internalizing and externalizing symptoms, in RSB among Russian adolescents. Methods Self-reported data were collected from 2573 Russian adolescents aged 13–17 years old (59.4 % girls; Mean age = 14.89) regarding RSB (unprotected sex, early pregnancy, multiple sexual partners and substance use during sexual encounters). Information was also obtained on externalizing (conduct problems and delinquent behaviour) and internalizing (depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress) symptoms, as well as interpersonal risk and protective factors (affiliation with delinquent peers, parental involvement and teacher support). Hierarchical multiple binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between these variables and RSB. Results Boys reported engaging in more RSB than girls. Externalizing symptoms and affiliation with delinquent peers were most strongly associated with RSB, whereas symptoms of anxiety were negatively associated with RSB. There was an interaction effect for sex and affiliation with delinquent peers on RSB with boys reporting RSB when having more delinquent peers. Neither parental involvement nor teacher support were protective against RSB. Conclusions Early detection of and interventions for RSB and associated externalizing symptoms may be important for adolescent physical and mental wellbeing. Affiliation with delinquent peers should, especially among boys, be regarded as a risk marker for RSB.

The Challenges Faced by Children Living on the Streets

A serious risk facing children worldwide is homelessness and living on the streets. This paper sought to provide an understanding into the interplaying factors promoting the prevalence of children living on the streets. To contextualise the findings, a literature review method was used to understand the challenges of children living on the streets. Challenges associated with residing on the streets include the likelihood of harm as a result of risky sexual behaviour which can be escalated by their vulnerability and lack of a protective parent. Furthermore, children living on the streets are at risk of being involved in chronic and relapsing conditions associated with drug abuse and other criminal activities. Recovery can be a very long enduring process. Moreover, some are also likely to die from hunger and there is a lot of potential that is buried as a result of living on the streets. This paper uses the ecological perspective to emphasise and articulate the role of the social context in shaping the lives of children.

Does Having Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Knowledge Affect the Risky Sexual Behaviour of Young People in Sub – Saharan Africa: Pooled Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

Background: Risky sexual behaviours (RSB) include all those behaviours such as multiple sexual unions, inconsistent use of condoms, or having sex under the influence of stimulants which have a greater propensity to exacerbate an individual’s vulnerability to unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS. This study explores the relationship between comprehensive knowledge on HIV and RSB among young people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).Methods: Data for this study were obtained from the current Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 2010 and 2018 in 28 SSA countries. These countries were chosen because they had complete information on the variables of interest for both males and females. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted.Results: It was found that 54.4% of young women and 40.0% of young men engaged in RSB. This ranged from 16.1% in Lesotho to 91.6% in Sierra Leone among young women and 17.1% in Namibia to 80.5% in Sierra Leone among young men. We also found that young men [AOR=0.78, CI=0.73–0.84] and women [AOR=0.92, CI=0.87–0.98] who had comprehensive HIV and AIDS knowledge had lower odds of engaging in RSB compared to those who did not have comprehensive HIV and AIDS knowledge.Conclusion: The study showed a low level of comprehensive knowledge on HIV/AIDS in SSA and a gap in the proportion of young males and females regarding comprehensive knowledge on HIV/AIDS. Risky sexual behaviour varied by sex. This reflected in a higher proportion of young females (54.5%) indulging in RSB as compared to young males (40.0%). Our findings also revealed that comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS influences risky sexual behaviour of young people. Age, level of education, place of residence, wealth status, exposure to radio, television, and newspaper or magazine have a significant relationship with RSB. These findings infer the need for targeted messages and interventions for the various categories of young people in SSA with relevant information on comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS.

Relationship Between Access to Reproductive Health Information and Risky Sexual Behaviour Among Secondary School Adolescents in Kiambu County, Kenya

Purpose: The study aimed to determine the relationship between access to reproductive health information and risky sexual behaviour among secondary school adolescents in Kiambu County, Kenya. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study targeted 7002 adolescent students from all the 13 public secondary schools in Thika West Sub-County. The following schools were selected Chania girls’ boarding school; Chania boys’ boarding school and Broadway mixed day school. Thus, specifically, the study targeted 2047 students. Fisher’s formula was used to arrive at 364 respondents which 10% was added to cater for attrition. This gave a sample of 400. Stratified sampling techniques was adopted in selecting participating schools to allocate the sample in the respective strata. The study sampled 400-students, their guidance and counselling teachers as the key informants. The researcher administered questionnaires, interview schedules (KII) and focus group discussions (FGD) were used in data collection. Descriptive statistics such as mean, mode and percentages, and inferential statistics such as chi-square and binary logistic regression were applied. P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Results revealed that the majority of the adolescent students were aware of contraceptives n=220 (64.7%), safe sex n=284 (83.5%) HIV/AIDS and STIs. The main source of information was found to be from parents and social media (n=172, 50.6%) and mass media as well as religious leaders (n=48, 14.1%). Majority of the students n=228 (67.1%) considered the availability of reproductive health information less easy, n=152 (44.7%) found the age-appropriate reproductive information helpful Majority of the students n=288 (84.7%) found age-appropriate reproductive information easy to understand, while n=192 (56.5%) found age-appropriate reproductive information easy to apply. Culture, religion and Poverty were also found to have a great and significant influence on age-appropriate reproductive health information. The study concluded that secondary school adolescents in Thika West Sub-County were aware of the contraceptives, safe sex and HIV/Aids and STIs, but the majority had a first sexual encounter at the age of 15 years and though they preferred reproductive information from sources they relied on such as their parents, teachers and social environment, what they received from such was minimal While culture, religious affiliation and economic status greatly influenced their access to age-appropriate reproductive health information. Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: The study recommends that policymakers should enhance on programmes that advocate for age-appropriate reproductive information through the engagement of all stakeholders like parents’ teachers religious and community leaders, who should be sensitized and in training to provide this information as early as six years of age through all stages of life. Adolescents should be imparted with age-appropriate reproductive information at the early stages of life before they start experiencing biological changes so that they can be in control of the changes.