Sexual behaviour and level of awareness on reproductive health among youths

Abstract

Abstract: In an effort to initiate youth reproductive health program in Harar, Ethiopia, a baseline survey was conducted between May 31 and June 5, 1997 in three randomly selected three kebeles of the town. The aim of the survey was to get benchmark information on sexual behavior of youth and their level of awareness on reproductive health. A total of 900 males and females aged 14-29 years were randomly selected from the three Kebeles. The survey results showed that nearly half of the participating males and one-fifth of females reported that they have experienced sexual intercourse. With the mean age of 16.9 years at first intercourse, males became sexually active earlier than their females. About 15% of respondents had experienced unwanted pregnancies and a little over half of them know the time of ovulation and when pregnancy would occur. Although the level of knowledge about family planning (FP) methods among the youth was favorable (69.3% of males and 63.9% of females), only about one-fourth reported ever having used a method. Seventy percent of males reported that they had used condom, whereas 65.8% of females had practiced the pills. The findings further indicated that there is a substantial level of awareness of HIV/AIDS by the respondents (97.7 and 96.4% of males and females, respectively). A large proportion of the respondents was able to specify the common ways of transmission of the disease. Recommendations are made to strengthen the youth reproductive health program initiated in the area. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1999;13(2):107- 113]