Early sexual initiation among school youths in Metekel Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Northwestern Ethiopia: Cross sectional study

Background

Early sexual activity can have a substantial negative impact on adolescents and youths. Biological, psychological, socio-cultural, and economic factors put youths at high risk of initiating sexual intercourse at an early age. This study aimed to assess the level of early sexual initiation and associated factors among school youth in the Benishangul Gumuz region.

Methods

School-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 4–15, 2022. A pretested and self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression model was used to determine the presence of a significant association between sexual initiation and independent variables.

Results

Out of 424 study subjects, 178 (43 %) had ever initiated sexual intercourse, of which 143 (80.3 %) had initiated before 18 years of age. Students who were in the age category of 15–19 years (AOR = 6.29; 95 % CI: 2.53, 15.63) and those who had multiple sexual partners (AOR = 5.08, 95 % CI = 2.00, 12.87) had higher odds of having early sexual initiation as compared with their counterpart. Similarly, students who consumed alcohol (AOR = 2.91, 95 % CI = 1.03, 8.17) and who had never used a condom during sexual intercourse (AOR = 3.09, 95 % CI = 1.22, 7.81) had a higher odd of initiating sexual intercourse at an early age as compared with their counterpart.

Conclusions

This study revealed that there was high magnitude of early sexual intercourse in the region. Predictors were having multiple sexual partners, never used a condom, and drunk alcohol. Delaying age at sexual initiation is a strategy that needs to be incorporated into the curriculums of primary and secondary schools. Parents have also a moral duty and responsibility to educate their children on the impact and consequence of early sexual initiation.