SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR AND RISK FACTORS AMONG YOUTHS IN ETCHE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, RIVERS STATE

This study investigated the sexual behavior of young people in Etche Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State, where concerns regarding risky sexual practices among youth have grown due to a rise in sexual activity. The research adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, with a population of 351,200 young people in Etche, from which a sample of 400 youths was selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data collection was facilitated using a semi-structured questionnaire, which was tested for reliability with a coefficient of 0.71. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V-25, employing mean, t-test, and Pearson Correlation at a 0.05 significance level. The results revealed that common sexual behaviors among youths included spending time with the opposite sex (𝑋̅ = 2.95±1.23), having a boyfriend or girlfriend (𝑋̅ = 2.77±0.23), and being attracted to revealing clothing (𝑋̅ = 2.63±1.33). The study also showed a significant difference between male and female perceptions of sexual behavior in Etche LGA, with a t-cal value of 2.22 and a p-value of 0.02. The findings indicated that young people in Etche exhibited risky sexual behaviors, which increased their vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other associated health risks. Consequently, the study recommends that youth-friendly organizations develop targeted intervention programs to guide young people toward healthier sexual practices and reduce the incidence of STIs