ABSTRACT
University students are at greatest risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and HIV, due to multiple sex partners. However, Undergraduate students are arguably, the most susceptible to sexually transmitted infections and HIV. The study examined the factors associated with multiple sexual partners among 348 Undergraduate students in Federal university Kashere in 2016. Data were collected on the demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors’ of the respondents in the one-month preceding the survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The results revealed that 23.5% of the respondents had multiple sexual partners in the last 30 days. The binary logistic regression model showed that male [OR=7.4, 95% CI: 2.9- 18.7]; being a member of students’ organizational structures [OR=3.4, 95% CI: 1.3-8.7] and younger age at sexual debut [OR=3.5, 95% CI: 1.3-9.6] were positively associated with multiple sexual partners. Furthermore, significant associations were found between multiple sexual partners, alcohol consumption [OR=2.9, 95% CI: 1.2-7.1), and being uncertain about their cultural perceptions [OR=3.4, 95% CI: 1.2-9.7] on multiple sexual partners. However, high religiosity [OR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.1-0.9)] was negatively associated with multiple sexual partners. Given that we found that a significant number of students were engaged in risky sexual behavior, innovative behavioral change is expected by emphasizing sexual fidelity, good values and responsible consumption alcohol to first year students as part of orientation package. Promotion of condom use should be intensified to protect first year students. Finally, since religiosity is an important practice in the daily life of the study population, integrating the religiosity components into sexual risk-prevention interventions could prove beneficial. (Afr J
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1Background of the study                                                                Â
In 2020, about 37.6 million people across the globe were living with HIV of which 35.9 million were adults1. In addition, newly infected with HIV was estimated to 1.5 million people in 2020. Collectively about 20.6 million people were living with HIV and new infections were approximately
0.6 Million in 2020 for Eastern and Southern Africa
1. Progress toward UNAIDS’s 90-90-90 to end AIDS epidemic revealed that none of the three targets was met by 20202. This is a concern despite advances in global health; HIV remains a disease that has no cure. Considering the pervasiveness and persistence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Federal University Kashere, Gombe state, risky sexual behaviors such as multiple sexual partnerships constitute a pertinent issue of national concern. For example, national estimates on multiple sexual partnerships reflected an escalation from 11.5% in 2002 to 18.3% in 20123. Among sexually active youth aged between 15 and 24 years, multiple sexual partnerships rate was at 22.4%, a figure that represents twice the national statistics. More perplexing was that the rate of multiple sexual partners simultaneously increased from 23.0% to 37.5% among males aged 15-24 years within a decade3. The risk of acquiring HIV through multiple sexual partners was estimated at 79% among people ages between 15 and 24 years in a national study4. Existing research demonstrated that multiple sexual partners constituted the strongest predictor of the perceived risk of HIV5.Other studies further elucidated the relationship between having multiple sexual partners and the risk of contracting HIV6–8. This pattern of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among young people is problematic because it has diverse negative effects on both the maintenance of a healthy society and public health expenditure. Similarly, a spectrum of behavioural, biological, and cultural issues have been identified as the risk.
