RISK PRACTICES AMONG OUT OF SCHOOL FEMALE ADOLESCENTS IN IBADAN NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

Abstract

Adolescence is a time of transition from childhood to adulthood and is marked by a number of developmental milestones. The National Adolescent Health Policy in Nigeria defines adolescents as individuals between ages 10 and 24 years. Although adolescents are generally a healthy segment of the society, threats to their health often stem from their practice of risky behaviours. Risk behaviours are attitudes, lifestyle such as unprotected sexual intercourse, multiple sexual partners, sex for money, early sexual initiation, alcohol consumption, tobacco smoke and drug use, that predisposes an individual to unwanted pregnancy,unsafe abortion, infertility, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS. Limited research on substance use and risky sexual behaviours had been conducted among out of school female adolescents. Most previous studies and interventions on risky practices among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria target in-school adolescents because they are easily accessible and easier to organize. Few have focused on those female adolescents who are not in school. The risky behaviours considered in this study are: Substance use and sexual risk behaviours. The objective of the study was to determine the risk practices among out of school female adolescents in Ibadan North Local Government Area. A community based cross-sectional study was designed to measure and identify the various risk practices and factors influencing risk practices among out of school female adolescents in Ibadan North Local Government Area. A Multistage random sampling method was used to select the study areas using ballot papers. The study population was out of school female adolescents aged 10 to 24 years who dropped out of school or had finished either primary or secondary schools and are now learning trade or serving as apprentice. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 305 sample size. The respondents were purposively selected from their houses, shops/ offices and in the market areas from the 8 randomly selected communities which are: Oketunu, Oremeji areas, Mokola, Premier Hotel areas, Samonda, Polytechnic areas, Agbowo and OjuIrin. A pretested questionnaire was used to document socio-demographic information, lifestyles, sexual behaviours, alcohol use, tobacco use and the use of drugs among the 10% of the sample size. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested using Chrobach’s Alpha. The reliability coefficient was 0.8 which was close to one. This showed that the instrument was reliable. The mean age of respondents was 18.52 years (SD+3.271). A total of 188 (61.6%) respondents had had sex, 103 (54.8%) did not use condom during the last sexual encounter. The mean age of sexual initiation was 17.51 years (SD+ 2.4). 123(12.2%) had had sex for money. A total of 76 (40.4%) of sexually active respondents had more than two sexual partners. Age was significantly associated with risky behaviours (p = 0.00). Out of the total respondents, 119(39.0%) respondents had ever taken alcohol. Of these, 54(45.4%) are current drinkers. 26(8.5%) had ever smoked cigarettes. The drugs used were Heroine 9 (3.0%), cannabis 8(2.6%) and cocaine 3(1.0%). Chi-square test was used to find associations between independent variable and outcome variable. There is significant relationship between working for money and the use of condom, alcohol consumption and sex for money (0.00, 0.02 and 0.02). It was also found that alcohol use and sexual contact were strongly associated with who the respondents live with (p=0.00 and 0.00). There was a significant relationship between substance use and having sexual contact and sex for money (p =0.00 and 0.01). Out of the total respondents, 226 reported that HIV/ AIDS transmission is one of the consequences of substance use, while 196 reported that engaging in sexual risk behaviours can hold back educational career. This showed fair knowledge on the negative consequences of risky behaviours. Modifying social and educational activities of adolescents in the communities through multi domain approach are effective ways to minimise risk practices This study has given the understanding of the relationship between substance use and sexual risk behaviours among adolescents because many of these behaviours are inter- related. The research has also contributed to the existing knowledge on adolescents’ risky behaviours in the Department of Health Promotion and Education.