The Nexus between Social Networks and Sexual Practices among Female University Students

The study was conducted among college students in Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to understand whether social networks influence students to make decisions on sexual practices. A total of 130 female students between 18-24 years participated in the study. Among them, 122 participated in the survey and eight in the case studies. The study revealed female students joined various types of social networks, which influence the decision making processes and outcomes of their sexual practices. The study has implications for women empowerment activities.

Knowledge about Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Practice of What Is Known among Ghanaian Youth, a Mixed Method Approach

Most young person will become sexually active before their 20th birthday having to battle with early and unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions, maternal deaths and injuries. This study examined young person’s sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices and their levels of utilization of sexual reproductive health. Our study progresses beyond current research of reporting only sexual behaviour among youth to have insight into sexual and reproductive health update drivers yielding new empirically robust results for the Ghanaian case for sexual and reproductive health service uptake. The descriptively cross sectional design was employed in sampling 170 youth (150 surveyed and 20 Interviewed) using the stratified sampling technique together with a purposive selection of one key informant. Test of significance and associations were performed with the Chisquare test. In all 45.2% (77/170) of youth (10 - 24) had had sexual experience in life time. In respect of in-school youth, 42% (63/150) had had sexual experience whiles 70% (14/20) out-of-school youth had had sexual intercourse in life time. A total of 28.8% (49/170) of all the youth had sexual intercourse in the last six months with only 40.1 (20/49) using condom for protection. Parental discussion of contraceptive methods (29.3%) and sexual and romantic relationship (28.0%) was the least sexual and reproductive health area discussed among in-school youth. Youth knowledge of the available sexual reproductive health service was statistically associated with reproductive health service utilization (X2 = 0.00, P ≤ 0.05). A concerted effort is required from government, NGO, Civil society organizations and religious bodies to help translate youth knowledge about sexual health into responsible sexual life and protective sex.

Determinants of Risky Sexual Behaviour among Inmates in Katsina Correctional Service: A Mixed Methods Study

Background: Incarceration does not vitiate sexual desire. Therefore, sexual activities occur behind bars, regardless of the stringent rules in correctional institutions. However, little has been documented about risky sexual behaviors, determinants, and experiences among inmates of correctional institutions in Katsina State, Nigeria. The study determined the sexual practices, prevalence, and determinants of risky sexual behaviors among prison inmates in Katsina. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional design with concurrent mixed methods of data collection was used to interview 216 inmates using a semi-structured questionnaire supplemented with 22 in-depth interviews. Result: Most (94%) respondents were male, almost half (44.4%) had secondary education, more than half (55.1%) were engaged in business or trading before incarceration, and the majority (75.9%) were awaiting trial. Nearly all inmates (98.6%) reported having sexual desire. Drug use (80.1%) and unprotected sex (79.2%) were quite common but sexual violence was low (7.4%). The number of sexual partners of respondents remained a significant predictor of sexual activity. Inmates who had one (1) or no sexual partner were 64% less likely to engage in risky sexual activity within the confines of the prison (AOR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.20 - 0.63, p = 0.01). Qualitative interviews revealed the denial of occurrence of sexual activity in prison despite sexual desire felt by inmates;loneliness, poverty, and curiosity as motives for sexual relations;denial of occurrence of sexual violence in prison;and drug use and use of unsterilized sharps as risky sexual behaviors. Conclusion: Despite the disciplinary action meted out on inmates, prisoners still engaged in a range of risky sexual behaviors. Conjugal visitations for married inmates could be considered to reduce sexually deviant and risky alternatives of relieving sexual desire among prisoners.