Sexual behaviours and contraceptive use among undergraduates in a Nigerian University

Abstract

Objectives: The study was conducted to describe the sexual behaviours and contraceptive use, as well as factors associated with being engaged in sex among Nigerian undergraduates. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: The study was conducted in a university of education in Ogun State, Nigeria. Participants: Four hundred undergraduates were selected sequentially through a stratified sampling method. Main outcome measures: Being sexually active, multiple sexual partners, and contraceptive use. Results: Participants’ ages ranged from 16 to 24 years. Nearly two-thirds (65.5%) were females. About a quarter of them (24.5%) were using psychoactive substance(s). More than two-fifths (44.5%) of them had engaged in sexual intercourse, of which 36% had a history of multiple sexual partners. The mean age at sexual debut was 18.7 ± 2.7 years, significantly lower among males than females (p <0.001). About half (218; 54.5%) of the students were cognisant of contraceptives, and 39.3% of sexually active participants had used contraceptives at some time, with condoms being the most commonly used. Male sex (p = 0.042), older age (p <0.001), higher monthly allowance (p = 0.025), and substance abuse (p <0.001) were factors that made undergraduates more likely to have engaged in sex. Conclusion: Engagement in sexual activity and unsafe sex were common practices among the Nigerian undergraduates studied. It is recommended that deliberate efforts be made to increase contraceptive awareness and usage.