Determinants of safer sex practices in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections among students attending public middle level colleges in Eldoret Town, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Incidence of STIs including HIV/AIDs has been on the rise among the youth in the recent past and the leading contributor to all the mortality and morbidity cases. Prevention of HIV/AID’s is a key public health strategy and can be achieved through abstinence, being faithful to one uninfected partner and using condoms hence safer sex practice. Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the ability to be aware of, initiate and sustain safe sexual behavior among college students in Eldoret town, to determine the factors influencing safe sex practice among college students attending public middle level colleges in Eldoret town. To establish the social factors influencing safe sex practice among students attending public middle level colleges in Eldoret town, to assess knowledge and practice of students attending public middle level colleges with regard to safe sex practice, to establish the challenges faced by students attending public middle level colleges in pursuit of safe sex. Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out in public middle level colleges in Eldoret town to determine the factors influencing safe sex practices. Stratified sampling was employed, and total of 360 college students were interviewed using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Majority of the respondents 95.1% were aware of the importance of having safe sex and 97.8% of the respondents had knowledge on condom use. Further, 95.8% had sex because they were promised gifts and favors and a further 94.4% had sex under the influence of alcohol. Challenges of safe sex practice included; sex under the influence of alcohol (91%) peer pressure (75.9%), inconsistent use of condoms (82.1%), being faithful to one partner (67.1) among others. Conclusion: Participants had a satisfactory level of knowledge on safe sex practices and HIV/AIDs prevention. In conclusion safe sex practices require a combination approach incorporating a supportive behavioral and structural intervention. Challenges among the youth include indulging in many high risk behaviors hence prevention interventions that focus on changing individual-level behaviors are necessary. The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education should ensure that the media disseminates information and intervention relating to safe sex practices among the youth. Peer education should be adopted and school-based interventions should include information on behavior change, condom use, HIV transmission, HIV prevention and consequences of unsafe sex.