Risky Sexual Behaviours and their Correlates among College and University Students in Sub- Saharan Africa: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Students at higher education institutions are often overlooked when it comes to reproductive health interventions because they are assumed to be aware of HIV/AIDS risks/preventative strategies and reproductive health difficulties. Young people may continue to engage in behaviours that put them at higher risk of HIV infection, STIs, and unintended pregnancy unless age-appropriate and institution-targeted interventions are introduced. To find the most relevant peer-reviewed publications in Sub-Saharan Africa that have been published in the recent ten years, a meta-analysis was undertaken to select main peer-reviewed articles. In order to find relevant papers for inclusion in the meta-analysis, we examined databases such as Pubmed, African Journals Online, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, as well as reference lists from significant publications. Random effects were used in Meta XL to assess the aggregate influence of each outcome. Study participants in Sub-Saharan Africa were included in 28 studies, totaling 18495 participants. Majority of the studies were from Ethiopia (n = 18) followed by Nigeria (n = 3), South Africa (n = 3) while the remainder of the studies were from Kenya, Zambia, Togo, Cameroon, and Togo. Over half (51.0 percent) of college and university students were predicted to engage in sexual behaviour (95 percent CI: 43.0 percent - 59.0 percent). Multipartner sexuality was associated with a prevalence rate of 36.0% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 30.0-42.0%), inconsistent condom use was associated with a prevalence rate of 53.0% (CI: 46-61.0%), and at least one risky sexual behaviour was associated with a prevalence rate of 65.0% (48.0-81.0%). When it comes to having numerous sexual partners, men were three times more likely than women [OR: 3.05; 95% CI: 2.59 – 4.37] to have several partners. Males were 2,99 times more likely than women to participate in at least one risk sexual behaviour [OR: 2,99; 95% CI: 1,40 – 6,40]. There was a link between watching porn and having more than one relationship, however this study found no significant outcomes [OR: 2.67; 95 percent CI: 0.81 – 8.83]. There was a 3.81 [OR: 3.81; 95 percent CI: 1.99 – 7.27] increase in the likelihood of several sexual partners and at least one risky sexual behaviour when drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol had neither a favourable or negative effect on the usage of condoms [OR: 1.17; 95 percent CI: 0.24–5.57]. Sub-Saharan African universities and colleges continue to have high rates of risky sexual behaviour. Risky sexual behaviours such as irregular condom usage and many sexual partners persist among university students.