The sexuality and sexual health of young adults in Kenya, the impact of a family life education programme and the flow of information

This thesis comprises three studies that investigated the sexuality and sexual health of young adults in Kenya and the sources of information and advice that were available to them. The first study also evaluated the impact of a family life education programme instituted into the National Youth Service (NYS) of Kenya. The studies used a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches and these complemented each other well. The results across the three studies were consistent.The studies looked at the three behavioural options offered to young people by health educators; abstinence from sexual intercourse, sexual intercourse with one partner, or intercourse with multiple partners with the use of protective measures. The abstinence option was found to be chosen by a number of respondents. The main reasons given for abstinence were the fear of jeopardising the opportunity of education by becoming pregnant, a concern about community or familial disapproval, a fear of infection and religious belief. These factors were also resulting in considerable negative imagery surrounding sex. The young women reported that it was not difficult to refuse a man sex.Women who were sexually active tended to stick to one partner. The men found this more difficult and often had a number of concurrent partners. Frequently, one of these partners would be a regular, longer term one and the others would be less serious relationships. The 'one partner' message offered by educators (usually given in the form 'trust one partner') is being misconstrued by respondents to mean trust one partner but have many. The 'trusting' of one of the partners was often resulting in the non-use of protective methods against pregnancy or infection. There was a considerable gender divide in the actual and expected sexual behaviour of young people.