Sexual Behaviour and Contraceptive Use Among Student Nurses, School of Nursing, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State.

This was a survey study designed to determine the sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among student Nurses, School of Nursing, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (U.M.T.H.), Maiduguri, Borno State. The population of this study was the entire 136 student Nurses, School of Nursing, U.M.T.H.), Maiduguri. However, only 122 constituted the sample. Data were collected with the help of research assistants. Percentages and chi-square were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that 21 female and 15 male student Nurses indicated that they were involved in premarital sexual intercourse. Thirteen of the females and 10 of the males used contraceptives. The contraceptives commonly used by the student Nurses was the condom. The findings of the study revealed no significant relationship between gender and contraceptive use. The researchers recommended that counselling unit be established in School of Nursing, U.M.T.H., Maiduguri, to provide reproductive counseling services to the students for a healthy sexual behaviour. Keywords: Sexual behaviour, contraception, premarital sex, gender, student Nurses. The Nigerian Journal Of Guidance And Counselling Vol. 12 (1) 2007 pp. 129-13