Premarital sexual behaviour among higher secondary students in Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City Nepal

Abstract

Background Sexual behaviour of young people is one of the major public health issues. This is because adolescent people may involve themselves in risky sexual behaviour such as practising sex at an early age, having multiple sexual partners, having sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and unprotected sexual behaviours. The objective of this study was to explore the premarital sexual behaviours among higher secondary school students in Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City. Methods: This survey adopted a design of an institution-based descriptive cross-sectional study. A pre-tested structured questionnaire sealed in an envelope was distributed among all consenting 522 higher secondary school adolescent students. Results: Nearly twenty-five per cent (24.6%) of study respondents have had premarital sex. Respondents who had discussed sexual matters with friends had a 2.62-fold higher chance of having premarital sex than those who had not. Male respondents were eight-fold more likely to have premarital sex than females. Respondents who were exposed to pornography reported a nine-fold higher possibility of having premarital sex. Study respondents were also involved in unsafe sexual practices; for example, 13.4% of male respondents had sex with female sex workers. Conclusion: Despite the deleterious social and cultural norms and values regarding premarital sexual activities school adolescents are increasingly involved in sexual activities before marriage. Peer groups or friends are major sources of sexual and reproductive health information, which is often insufficient and inaccurate. It is important to design an appropriate and effective intervention to ensure that adolescents get correct and suitable sexual and reproductive information.