[Sexual behaviour among adolescents in Brazzaville, Congo]

Risky sexual behaviors and their associated factors within high school students from Collège Saint André in Kigali, Rwanda: An institution-based cross-sectional study

Background

Risky sexual behaviors (RSBs) remain public health concerns in adolescents from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and these practices may increase vulnerability to reproductive health problems if no early healthcare strategies are implemented. While previous studies reported that adolescents are engaged in these RSBs due to diverse influences such as the teenage stage, urbanization, and change in the environment they experience, there is a shortage of studies on RSB among adolescents in SSA. This study assessed the magnitude of RSBs and the RSB-associated factors among in-school adolescents.

Methods

School-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 263 Saint Andre school students in Kigali, Rwanda, from July 3, 2020, to September 30, 2020. Systematic random sampling techniques were employed. All data were entered into Epi-Data and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to determine factors associated with risky sexual behaviors. Confidence intervals (CIs) of 95% and 5% for statistical significance were maintained.

Results

Of 263 participants, 109 (41%) experienced RSB in their lifetime. Among them, 66 respondents (60.55%) utilized contraceptive methods to prevent sexual and reproductive problems that can be caused by unprotected sexual intercourse. The students who experienced domestic violence had increased odds of experiencing RSB [odds ratio (OR) = 4.22; 95% CI: 1.6-11.23] than their counterparts. Those in grade 11 (OR = 2.68; 95% CI: 1.06-6.78) and grade 12 (OR = 4.39; 95% CI: 1.82-10.56) were more likely to practice RSB than those in grade 10. Alcohol users were almost more likely to experience RSB (OR = 3.9; 95% CI: 1.97-5.5) than their counterparts. Those who lived away from their biological parents had higher likelihood of experiencing RSB (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.14-4.42) than those who lived with one or both parents. Students who experienced peer pressure were more likely to engage in RSB (OR = 3.9; 95% CI: 2.01-7.51) than their counterparts.

Conclusion

Promoting specific intervention programs built upon the factors associated with RSB among high school students needs to be prioritized.

[Frequency of pregnancies within school environment and profile of adolescent girls who have had the experience in Conakry city, Guinea]

INTRODUCTION

Pregnancy in schools is an obstacle to the development and education of young girls, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of pregnancies within a school setting and the profile of adolescent girls who have had the experience in Conakry, Guinea.

METHOD

We conducted a cross-sectional study covering the period from January 1 to June 30, 2017 in 16 schools.

RESULTS

A total of 2,419 adolescent girls consented to participate in the study. The mean age was 16.48±0.04 years with extremes of 10 and 19 years. Students aged 15 to 19 (93.0%), those in college (53.3%) and single (69.8%) were the most likely to have been pregnant in school (P<0.05). The factors statistically significantly associated with the occurrence of teenage pregnancies in a school environment were age (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.5; 95%CI=1.3-1.7; P<0.001), school level (AOR=0.6; 95%CI=0.4-0.8; P=0.003 for Lycée), the place of residence (AOR=0.5; 95%CI=0.4-0.9; P=0.002 for Matam, AOR=0.4; 95%CI=0.3-0.8; P<0.001 for Dixinn, AOR=0,3; 95%CI=0.2-0.8; P=0.010 for Ratoma), marital status (AOR=8.7; 95%CI=3.4-7.0; P<0.001), information on reproductive health (AOR=2.4; 95%CI=1.1-3.0; P=0.015), knowledge of the benefits of family planning (AOR=2.2; 95%CI=1.0-2.2; P=0.030) and the difficulty of accessing sexual and reproductive health services (AOR=3.4; 95%CI=1.4-3,7; P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of school pregnancies remains a worrying reality among adolescent girls in Guinea. Factors associated with the occurrence of pregnancy in the school are age, school level, place of residence, marital status, knowledge of sexual health information, knowledge of the benefits of family planning, and related difficulties access to sexual and reproductive health services.

[Sexual intercourse among students in Matoto, Conakry, Guinea]

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors associated with sexual practices among adolescent students in Matoto, Conakry.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study of students aged 10-19 years attending colleges and high schools in Matoto, Conakry over a period of 3 months (1 March -31 May 2018).

Results

Out of 500 students surveyed, 226 (162 girls and 64 boys; 45.2%) reported having sexual intercourse. Condom was used by 16.4% of students and contraceptives by 35.4%. The rate of sexually transmitted infections was 23.5%. Among girls who had sexual intercourse, 32.1% had had at least one unintended pregnancy ending in clandestine abortion in 30.8% of cases. The factor associated with sexual practices among adolescents was night life (p = 0.000).

Conclusion

Sexual intercourse is frequent among adolescent students in Matoto. Condom and contraceptives are little used. In our study, night life was the principal factor associated with sexual practice.

Sexuality, sexually transmitted infections and contraception among health sciences students in university of Lomé, Togo

OBJECTIVES

Evaluate the practice of sexuality, contraception and the risk of sexually transmitted infections among students in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lomé, Togo.

RESULTS

Three hundred and sixteen (316) students were interviewed, with a response rate of 43.3%. The average age of students completing the form was 21.4 ± 2.7 years and their sex ratio was 2.2. Of this number of students who completed the form, 51.8% have already had sex. The mean age of first intercourse was 17.9 ± 3.2 years; 70.3% were heterosexual. Regarding the number of sexual partners, 48.5% of students had more than one partner, of whom 15.9% had at least 5 sexual partners. 21.5% of these students had only one sexual intercourse per month. Regarding contraception among students with the card, 67.5% of students used a method of contraception. Among those using contraceptives, it was a 55.3% condom, followed by the Ogino method at 14.1%. Some of our respondents used more than one method of contraception and 28.5% of respondents indicated that their partners used a method of contraception. For STIs, 10.8% of students completing the form were already infected. Gonorrhea was reported in 30.4% of cases, candidiasis in 26.1% of cases.

High-risk human papillomavirus infection in HIV-positive African women living in Europe

Introduction

Cervical infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HRHPV) induces cervical cancer and is present in 14% of women in Europe. We assessed the prevalence and incidence of cervical HRHPV in a cohort of HIV-positive women living in Belgium.

Methods

Prospective observational program of screening and follow up of HRHPV cervical infection performed by Hybrid Capture in 825 HIV-positive women between 2002 and 2011. Women without normal cervix at baseline were excluded.

Results

The final analysis included 652 women: median age 38 years, African origin (81%), median HIV follow-up (66 months), median CD4 count (426 cells/μL) and 79% on antiretroviral therapy (cART). At baseline, HRHPV prevalence was 43% and decreased significantly as both age and CD4 cell count increased: highest prevalence (100%) in women <30 years and <200 CD4/μL and lowest (19%) in women >40 years and >500 CD4/μL (p<0.0001, multivariate analysis). The relative risk (RR) to carry HRHPV at baseline decreases proportionally by 11% for each 5 years-age increase and by 11% for each 100 CD4 cells/μL rise (RR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.85-0.93; p<0.0001, Poisson regression for both). During follow-up, incidence rate of HRHPV was 13.4 per 100 women-years.

Conclusions

We found a high HRHPV prevalence of 43% and an incidence rate of 13 per 100 women-years in this cohort of HIV-positive women living in Europe and on cART. Women under 40 years-age had the highest prevalence even with CD4 count >350 cells/μL. The magnitude of HRHPV epidemiology should prompt to evaluate the clinical efficacy of vaccines against HPV in HIV-infected women.