Sexual activity of out-of-school youth, and their knowledge and attitude about STDs and HIV/AIDS in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract: A cross-sectional survey on sexual activity of out-of-school youth (15-24 years), and their knowledge and attitude towards STDs and HIV/AIDS was done in Awassa in June 1995. Most (94.4%) study subjects knew about HIV/AIDS, whereas, a lesser proportion of them knew the common STDs other than HIV/AIDS. Few of them were aware that the two are inter-related, one facilitating the transmission of the other. Forty-nine percent of the respondents (mean age 17+2 years) claimed to have started sex before the study date. Of these, 27.6% reported condom use during their most recent coitus. Thirty-six percent of the sexually active subjects admitted to have had more than one sex partner during the past 6 months (mean = 2.9+2). Lack of adequate knowledge, being careless often times, fear that condom will reduce sexual excitement, and pressure from sex partners appeared to be the common reasons for less use of condom during sex. The majority (91.0%) agreed that sex education and family life education for young people should be started early in life; in fact a quarter of them suggested as early as 10-12 years. It was concluded that out-of-school youth are sexually active; a considerable number of the sexually active are not practicing safe sex; and even if they have information about HIV/AIDS and STDs, it was not strong enough to bring about any significant behavioral change. This warrants the need for a continued expansion of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) linked with services to the youth, particularly the out-of-school youth which are at a higher risk. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1998;12(1):17-22