| dc.description |
BACKGROUND: The adolescent period is a time at which individuals explore and develop their
sexuality, gender and sex role. These factors have a profound influence on a young person’s current and
future health. It is believed that age at menarche is declining, and that premarital adolescent sexual
activity is increasing. Clearly, if this change in behavior is not compensated by an increase in premarital
use of contraception, it is expected that there will be an increase in the proportion of out-of-wedlock
adolescent births, as well as an increase in the prevalence of induced abortion which ends in high
proportion of maternal mortality rate.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess pregnancy risk perception and
contraceptive use among college student in Shashamane town.
METHODS: A cross- sectional descriptive survey was carried out among college students in
Shashamane Woreda, Western Arsi Zone, from February 15th to may 2011. A total of six hundred
seventeen subjects were involved with response rate of 100%. To collect data, a pre- tested self
administered questionnaire was used.
RESULTS: Out of the total students 314(50.9%) were sexually active. The mean age for first sexual
initiation was 17yrs with 1.4yrs of SD. The likelihood of becoming sexually active was lower among
students from other Woreda than from Shashamane and two times higher among students who live with
friends in rented house at significant level of association (AOR=0.5519;95%CI;0.3648,0.8349)
and(AOR=2.44;95%CI;1.5581,3.8334) respectively. Out of the total respondent only 287(46.5%) knew
the exact days of ovulation .Among the sexually active respondents, 164(52.2%) had ever used
IX
contraceptive . The odds of contraceptive use among students who have low perception about the weight
of being pregnant is extremely low
( AOR=0.31;95%CI;0.19, 0.5)
CONCLUSION: From this study, it was concluded that the age of the sexual debut among college
youths were too early. Contraceptive utilization and self-risk perception toward unwanted pregnancy
among youths were also very low. Youths also lack comprehensive knowledge about phase of ovulation.
The likely hood of contraceptive use among students with low perception is low.
RECOMMENDATION: IEC programs should be put on reproductive health in order to encourage the
youths to delay sex and negotiate contraceptive use. Young people rely heavily up on interpersonal
contacts for sexual information, peer based intervention should be implemented to ascertain that youths
have access to accurate information. |
|