Abstract:
Background: Adolescents are defined as young people aged 10 to 19 years. Studies show the adolescents are becoming more sexually active in recent times than in the past and may experience several risks in their sexual behaviors that have implications for their health. The sexual behaviors adopted by the adolescents have serious implications on their future health too with regards to morbidity, as well as mortality. Contraception is one of the strategies to reduce the risk associated with sexual behaviors.
The objectives of this study were to examine the associated factors of sexual behaviors and practices as well as the level of contraceptive usage among the students.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design with a quantitative approach to data collection was employed. A structured questionnaire was used as the main data collection tool. The study took place in the Dzodze-Penyi Senior High School, Ketu-North district of the Volta Region of Ghana. The main population of the study was the adolescent girls in the senior high schools and a total of 200 were selected as sample size. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. A p-value of 0.05 was assumed as the level of significance at a 95% confidence interval.
Results: It was found that 26% of the respondents were in a sexual relationship and among those who were not dating at the time of the study, 5.4% had dated before. Those who had sexual intercourse before were 27% and among them, almost 39% had unprotected sex. Also, it was found that more than half (53.7%) of those who had sexual intercourse did it within the age group of 16-19 years. Contraception use was high 74% compared to 26% who did not use contraception. Condoms were the most common contraception among the respondents. The study found a high knowledge (85%) of contraception and human sexuality among the respondents, however, knowledge on emergency contraception was low. Age group and department of affiliation were found to be significantly associated with knowledge level (p=0.03 and o.024 respectively). Almost all respondents agree that sex education should be part of our school.
Conclusion: Although knowledge level on contraception was high, there should be an intensified and continuous education and health services for the senior high school students. This is because the study found some level of sexual risk behaviors such as unprotected sex, unintended pregnancies, and abortions.
