The Role Of Socio Cultural Factors On Early Sexual Initiation Among Youths In Doba Woreda

Background: Early sexual initiation is having sexual intercourse before age of eighteen years. Itrnincreases the risk of unwanted pregnancies, maternal morbidity and mortality, and exposure tornHIV and other STI infections. Little is known about the impact of socio-cultural factors on earlyrnsexual initiation. Knowing time at first sexual intercourse and associated factors, particularlyrnfocusing on socio cultural factors, is important to design effective program addressing the youngrnpeople’s problem through providing evidence-based information for AYRH strategy.rnObjective: the objective of the study is to assess age of sexual initiation and factors associatedrnwith it among youths (15-24) in Doba woreda. The study particularly explores socio culturalrnfactors that have impacts on early sexual initiation.rnMethods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted using both quantitative andrnqualitative methods. A total of 613 youth who were drawn using multistage stratified samplingrnmethod were interviewed between February 01 and 15, 2016. Data entry and analysis were donernby using EPI Info and STATA version 12.1 softwares, respectively. Descriptive statics, bivariaternanalyses and multivariable analyses were carried out. Moreover, qualitative data was collectedrnthrough Focus Group Discussions and key informant interviews to augment the result ofrnquantitative data. Then content analysis was done by using Open code software.rnResult: The prevalence of early sexual initiation among youths in Doba woreda is 66.6%.Thernmedian ages of sexual initiation in this study was 17 years (range 15-18 years). Multivariablernlogistic regression analysis show that being female (AOR =4, 95%CI, 1.9-8.3), Youths with thernage range between 15-19 years (AOR=3.9 95%CI, 1.1-13.5), Youths who shared bedroom withrntheir father and mother during their adolescence (AOR=3.5 95%CI, 1.4-8.9) and Youths whornsmoked shisha (AOR=2.7 95%CI, 1.3-5.4) were identified as associated factors of early sexualrninitiation. A cultural play which is locally called “shaggoyyee” or “danci” is one of the factorsrnthat triggers youth for early sexual initiation. On the other hand a culture of preserving virginityrnbefore marriage in the community was found as a protective culture against early sexualrninitiation in the community. Regarding perception of youths about the consequence of earlyrnsexual initiation they mentioned unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, STI and school drop outrnas the major negative consequences resulted due to early sex.rnConclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of early sexual intercourse is very high.rnGender (being female), young age (15-19 years), sharing bedroom with father and mother duringrnadolescence period and smoking shisha were associated factors of early sexual initiation.rnDiscussion with peers about sexual issue is found as a protective factor for early sexual initiation.rnIn order to protect youths from early sexual initiation education should be provided for therncommunity regarding harmful effect of substance use (such as shisha) through different Medias,rnchurches and mosques.Young children and adolescents should have separated bed rooms fromrntheir father and mother so that visual and auditory privacy will be maintained.

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