Assessment of Risky Sexual Behaviors Among University Students in Kigali, Rwanda

Abstract

Risky sexual behaviors (RSB) remain a public health concern among university students who are considered as key population for a nation’s economic development. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of sexually active students, RSB and their associated factors among students from two selected universities in Kigali. We employed a cross sectional study with data collection using a pre-tested questionnaire. IBM SPSS version 21 was employed for data analysis. Chi-square test was used to assess association between RSB and explanatory factors assuming a 95% confidence interval, 5% margin of error and statistical significance at P value less than 0.05. A total 269 university students with almost equal representation of both males and females, 49.8% and 50.2%, respectively were enrolled. Of these 269, 68.4% were sexually active during the period of data collection. RSB reported among university students include having multiple sexual partners with an average number of life sexual partners of 3.5, having at least one other sexual partner out of marriage (21%), paying for sex (16%), receiving payment for sex (10%), having unprotected sex with only 15% of them using always using condoms with risk sexual partners and only 6% using condoms while drunk or after using drugs. RSB were more common among younger aged (between 20 and 26 years old) with peak at 23 years old, unmarried (12.6%), widowed (50%), cohabitating (41.2%), prenuptial sex (22%) groups. Findings also revealed that working students, with self-employment or professional employment, are likely to engage in sexual activity after taking drugs or alcohol. All in all, RSB are still a major problem among university students. This calls for a review of current interventions addressing sexual health among this population. There is also a need for further studies with larger sample sizes.