Abstract:
In this era of HIV and AIDS, issues of sexual behaviour especially among the young people who are sexually active have become increasingly important. University students are particularly important because they live in a mixed but relatively unregulated environment, which puts them at high risk of risky sexual activity. Yet, this is the group that constitutes future leaders. This study, which was an institutional survey, aimed to establish patterns of sexual behaviour and its associated factors among students of Uganda Martyrs University. The study was guided by three objectives; to determine the patterns of sexual behaviour of University students, to establish the influence of knowledge and attitudes of University students on sexual behaviour, and to establish the influence of social demographic factors on students’ sexual behavior. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey, which was mainly quantitative in approach. Data were collected using structured self administered questionnaires. The data were collected from Uganda Martyrs University Students who are fulltime residents on campus or reside in the nearby hostels. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS software version1.6 and excel computer programs while qualitative data were also analysed manually. The results showed that most students were sexually active, had started having sex before joining university, had multiple sexual partners, were mainly not using condoms and were engaging in sex under the influence of alcohol. The level of knowledge about risks involved in premarital and unprotected sex was very high and it somehow influenced students’ sexual behaviour. Socio-demographic factors such as if the previous school was mixed or single sex, if parents were alive or one was a total orphan and if parents disapproved of premarital sex were associated with sexual behaviour. Religious affiliation was only related with sexual behaviour to a small degree. We suggest to the university management to introduce behaviour change communication strategies such as peer-to-peer clubs and as health promotion strategies that minimise risks of unprotected sex. Universities should also restrict alcohol in the university campus and hostels because it contributes to risky sexual behaviour. Parents and secondary school head teachers are advised to be more vigilant about children’s sexual behaviour since sexual activity begin before university.
