Prevalence and Correlates of Exchanging Sex for Money (Gift), among Private College Students in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Transactional sex is the practice of exchanging sex for financial or life style rewords; which has been associated with increased risk of HIV and others STD’s. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of exchanging sex for money (gifts) among college students in Bahir Dar city. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in July 2012 among 790 students in eight private colleges in Bahir Dar city using multistage sampling technique. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was used. The data were analyzed in bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis with SPSS version 16 soft ware package. Results: About 27.8% of sexually active respondents of the study were reported to have exchanged sex for money (gift). Respondents reported unprotected sex were about 2 times more likely to exchange sex compared to those never did unprotected sex (AOR= 1.85, 95%CI: 1.07-8.78).The odds of exchanged sex was higher for students living in rented house with no family compared to those living with family (AOR= 1.78, 95%CI: 1.03 -3.06), and for the students who used khat and shisha compared to those never took these substances (AOR= 1.92, 95%CI: 1.10-3.33 and AOR= 3.14, 95%CI: 1.32-7.44) respectively. Moreover, the students visited night clubs more than two times a week were more than threefold risk of exchanging sex compared to those students never visited night clubs(AOR= 3.87, 95%CI: 1.71- 8.78). Conclusion: This study revealed that 27.8% of sexually active respondents were ever exchanged sex and unprotected sex was associated with it, implying that receiving/paying money (gift) might interfere to negotiate condom use. Besides, several variables were associated with it, therefore, HIV/AIDS prevention programs need to give attention to exchanged sex. Keywords: