Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: May | Volume: 8 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 8-16
Knowledge and Practice of Safe Sex among In- School and Out of School Adolescents in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria
Tolulope O Afolaranmi1,3, Zuwaira I Hassan1,3, Akinyemi O D Ofakunrin5, Okafor D Onyinye2, Maduneme C Chioma2, Anionwe S Joseph2, Gabriel O Ogbeyi4, Tinuade Oyebode6
1Department of Community Medicine, University of Jos. Jos, Plateau State Nigeria
2Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos Plateau State, Plateau State Nigeria
3Department of Community Medicine, Jos University of Teaching Hospital Jos, Plateau State Nigeria
4Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Benue State University. Markurdi , Benue State Nigeria
5Department of Paediatrics, University of Jos/Jos University Teaching Hospital. Jos, Plateau State Nigeria
6Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Jos/Jos University Teaching Hospital. Jos, Plateau State Nigeria
Corresponding Author: Tolulope O Afolaranmi
ABSTRACT
Background: Adolescence represents one of the critical transitions in lifespan characterized by tremendous pace in growth, development and acquisition of secondary characteristics that occurs between the age 10-19years. Adolescents have been found to be at a high risk for most of the negative consequences ascribed to unsafe sexual practice, such as Sexually Transmitted Infections and unwanted pregnancy. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge and practice of safe sex amongst in-school and out-of-school adolescents
Methodology: This was a comparative cross sectional study conducted among 138 in- school and out of school adolescent respectively using quantitative method of data collection. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis, adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used as point and interval estimates respectively on the logistic model while a p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean age of the out of school adolescents was 16.0 ± 2.3 years as compared to14.2 ± 2.4 years among their in- school counterpart with the level of practice of safe sex adjudged to be good among 8(47.1%) and 40 (47.6%) of the respondents in school and those out of school respectively (χ2 = 0.002; p = 0.966)
Conclusion: The study has brought to light the need to constantly provide adolescents either in or out of school with relevant information on safe sex through appropriate channels in order to improve their level of knowledge and practice of sex.
Key words: Knowledge, Practice, Safe sex, Adolescents.