Sexual experience and pattern of contraceptives use among in-school adolescents in akure, nigeria

Abstract

Abstract This study explored sexual experience and pattern of contraceptives use among in-school adolescents in Akure, Nigeria. A total of 655 randomly selected respondents from fifteen secondary schools in Akure completed the questionnaire which explored their sexual experiences and contraceptives use during first and most recent sexual intercourse (MRSI). Mean age of the respondents was 16±1.7 years. Twenty-two percent had experienced sexual intercourse and mean age of sexual debut was 13.9±2.6 and 12.9±2.03 among males and females respectively. Only females (23.2%) experienced rape at sexual initiation (SI). About half of the sexually experienced ones (48.8%) had more than one sexual partner while only 18.3% and 42.0% among them used contraceptives at sexual initiation (SI) and MRSI respectively. Among males, methods of contraceptives used included condom (86.0%) and withdrawal method (14.0%), while among females, male partner condom use (17.6%), postinor (35.4%) and oral contraceptives (23.5%) were reported. Among the sexually experienced respondents, only 20.9% of males and 19.6% of females signified they were confident to persuade their partner to use condom. Findings showed a high risk of sexually transmitted infections among these students due to their risky sexual behaviours and condom use. Urgent interventions to promote health sexual behaviour through contraceptives use, especially condom need to be carried among them.