Sexual orientation and its impact on sexual behaviour of young people aged 15-29: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a direct relation between sexual orientation and sexual practices involving penetration; to analyse whether condom use in the first sexual relation was conditioned by sexual orientation; to verify whether consistent condom use in sexual relations was determined by sexual orientation. BACKGROUND: Recent research suggests that sexual orientation (i.e. heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality) is a determining factor in high-risk sexual behaviour. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study with purposive sampling. METHODS: Data were collected between March 2013-April 2014 from 900 participants (524 males and 376 females). All participants were 15-29 years of age. Their mean age was 20·93 years. The participants were given a socio-demographic survey as well as a psychometric test on high-risk sexual behaviour, which had been used in previous studies. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in relation to sexual orientation and sexual practices involving penetration either in the general model for both sexes or in the models for men and women. It was also found that sexual orientation did not significantly affect condom use in the first sexual relation. Furthermore, consistent condom use had a protector effect in the general model for homosexuals and bisexuals. In the model for men, this was also true for homosexuals and in the model for women, this was the case for bisexuals. CONCLUSION: Condom use in the first sexual relation was similar in all sexual orientations. However, the sexual orientation of the subject was found to be a determining factor in consistent condom use.

High risk sexual behavior among adolescent senior secondary school students in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The consequences of high risk sexual practices (HRSP) are enormous among adolescent senior secondary school students. They therefore need to have sufficient knowledge of HRSP. AIM OBJECTIVES: The study gauged the level of knowledge and perceptions of high risk sexual behavior among senior secondary school students in Ilorin, Nigeria with a view to improving their understanding of the current trends in HRSP.This was a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study of adolescent secondary school students in Ilorin East Local Government Area. Multi - stage sampling method involving 3 stages was used. A semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain data. Informed consent of respondents was obtained. The data was analyzed using SPSS windows software package version 17. RESULTS: Majority, 305 (69.5%) of the students were between 16 - 20 years. The major source of information was from movies, 42.5%, and the internet, 24.7%. Twenty-three percent (23.1%) had poor knowledge of HRSP. Thirty-eight percent (38.1%) did not consider indiscriminate sexual intercourse as HRSP while 27.9% still believed that unprotected sexual practice is safe. Thirty-four percent (34.2%) did not know that sex with multiple partners is a HRSP while 34.4% did not know that oral -genital sex is unsafe. Over thirty-two (32.9%) perceived that engaging in sex made them mature among peers. Twenty-four (24.7%) did not perceive any danger in keeping multiple sexual partners while 15.3% would still engage in unprotected sex. CONCLUSION: The students had relatively poor knowledge and perceptions of HRSP. Quite a number did not consider indiscriminate sexual intercourse as HRSP. An appreciable number did not perceive any danger in keeping multiple sexual partners or beingengaged in unprotected sex. Counselling on the dangers of HRSP should be a component of the school health services so as to curb the complications of HRSP in our secondary schools.