Sexuality issue in the school environment in a capital city of a West African country
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20175225Keywords:
Attitude, Knowledge, Practice, Sexuality, StudentsAbstract
Background: Precociousness and abuse of unprotected sexual intercourses among teenagers promote sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies that often result in illegal induced abortions. The goal of this work is to study the knowledge, attitude and practice of students about sexuality.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional and analytical study that took place from 1st March to 30th May 2015. All registered secondary students in both secondary schools Behanzin and Toffa 1er from Porto-Novo city are included. We used a multiple choice and open questions.
Results: The survey concerns 1304 students. Among them, 57% are female and 43% are male. The students’ average age is 18.71±2.31years with extremes of 13 and 25 years. The majority of students in our sample (66.9%), the ideal age for first sexual intercourse is between 15 and 19 years with 60.4% for boys and 65.0% for girls. In our sample, 6 to 7 students out of 10 have at least one sexual intercourse. Among boys, we estimated 7 to 8 cases out of 10 and among girls 5 to 6 out of 10 cases. On the whole, 44.9% of students agreed to have sexual intercourse before marriage. Out of 1304 students, 50.0% have their first sexual intercourse between 15 and 19 years old and 47.2% of these sexual intercourses were unprotected. Having many sexual partners is more observed among boys. Sexually transmitted diseases are known by students of our sample in the following proportions: HIV/AIDS (93.2%), Gonorrhoea (44.2%), Syphilis (21.2%), Chancroid (6.2%), Genital trichomoniasis (5.4%). Out of 433 sexually active girls who were involved in the present study, 165 (38.1%) had at least one unwished pregnancy and 144 which is 87.3% resulted in induced abortions.
Conclusions: Present study showed that the majority of students are sexually active and most of sexual intercourses are unprotected despite the knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases. This attitude is revealed in a certain rate of unwished pregnancies resulting in a significant proportion of induced abortions.
References
INSAE, PNLS, UNICEF, USAID, UNFPA. Demographic and Health Survey (EDBS-III), Bénin 2006. Cotonou: National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis (INSAE); 2007:244-57.
Serfaty D, d’Arcangues C, Audebeth A, Belaish J. Contraception in practice. 4th edition. Elsevier Masson SAS; 2011:11-20,263.
Sedgh G, Singh S, Shah IH, Åhman E, Henshaw SK, Bankole A. Induced abortion: incidence and trends worldwide from 1995 to 2008. The Lancet. 2012;379(9816):625-32.
Goyaux N, Alihonou E, Diadhiou F, Leke R, Fernand Thonneau P. Complications of induced abortion and miscarriage in three African countries: a hospital based study among WHO collaborating centers. Scandinavian Obstetric Record. 2001;80(6):568-73.
Lombat DSA. Post-abortion care at Cotonou lagoon maternity hospital about 485 cases of abortions recorded at Cotonou Lagoon maternity hospital. Cotonou: Abomey-Calavi University FSS; 2000:N°906.
Alihonou E, Carre N, Capochichi V, Thonneau P. Contraceptive continuation and its déterminants in Benin. Contracept. 1997;55(2):97-101.
Minister of Public Health UNFPA. Multisectoral national strategy for sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth in Benin 2010-2020. Mother and Child Health Directorate. 2010:40.
Fenton KA, Lowndes CM. Recent trends in the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections in the European Union. Sexually Transmitt Infect. 2004;80(4):255-263.
Romels SL, Theocharis RT, Strack. Correlate of sexual abstinence among urban university students in the Philippines. Int Fam Plann Perspect. 1997;23:168-72.
UNICEF. Study on Adolescents' Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Behaviors in Sexuality, Procreation and VIH/SIDA Brazzaville. Study Report. 2007:17.
ORS (Regional Health Observatory). The knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors regarding the risks associated with sexual behavior. 2012 KABP Meeting Survey: First Results. 2014:7-9.
Bajos N, Durand S. Sexual and Reproductive Behaviors of Adolescents Comparison between Developed Countries. 2001 November; Occasional Report No. 9.
INSAE. Ministry of Development, Economic Analysis and Foresight of Benin. Demographic and Health Survey (EDSB-IV) 2011-2012. 2013:245.
DF (Federal Department of the Interior). The sexuality of young people over time Evolution, influences and perspectives. Swiss Report. 2009;29.
Bajos N, Spira A, Ducot B, Messiah A. Analysis of sexual behaviour in France (ACSF): A comparison between two modes of investigation: Telephone survey and face-to-face survey. Aids. 1992.
UNFPA, DSF/MINI SANTE. Knowledge attitudes and practices of the populations of Burkina-Faso in the field of reproductive health. AFRIC SANTE. 2013:93.
Embersin C. Prevention of unwanted pregnancies in three departments: Rhône, Seine-Saint-Denis, Somme. Paris, FNORS;2004.
