Health Implication Of Unprotected Sex Among Unmarried Youth
[A CASE STUDY OF ORO IREPODUN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA KWARA STATE]

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Of The Study

Youths are faced with challenges in decision making about relationships, sexuality, and sexual behaviour. Such decisions are very vital as they can impact either positively or negative on their health and general well-being. Youths have the right to lead healthy lives, and society has the responsibility to prepare adults by providing them with comprehensive sexual health education that gives them the tools they need to make healthy decisions. Sexuality issues have been one of the most fundamental aspects of human existence, which is directly related to both the physical and psychosocial well-being of an individual [1]. Particularly, the health of youths is greatly dogged by their behavior, and sexuality is an important and complex area of youths behavioral health.

In Africa, efforts have been made to abolish the tradition of early marriages, but these have lengthened the period spent unmarried yet sexually active which is life threatening. This has spiked the high rates of unsafe sexual activity and the resultant pregnancies among young adults have significantly contributed to high fertility rate.1

Youths are exposed to unsafe and early sex especially in developing countries and therefore there is the risk of unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV\AIDS[3]. Unprotected sexual activity carries with it risks to reproductive health at any age but most particularly during youths, because the risks of infection are greater when full physical maturation is incomplete[4]. Sexual activities among youths have been reported to be increasing worldwide, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa youths have at high burden sexual risks and increasing unprotected sexual activities [5].

The burden of health problems related to unsafe sex practices is still alarmingly high in Nigeria. To begin with, in most high-burden countries including Nigeria, there is still a high prevalence of STIs with twice as many new HIV infections in the youths age group compared with the deaths; therefore, in these countries, the epidemic in youths is still growing.3,4While the risk of contracting STIs for both genders during unprotected sex might be equal, the pregnancy risk and the related probable physiological and socio-economic complications, including dropping out of school, being neglected by family, social misfit,maternal injury, and death are faced only by the females.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

In Nigeria, unmarried youths continue to engage in unprotected sex (Elegbeleye, 2006; Kabir, Iliyasu, Abubakar, & Kabir, 2004; Odu & Akanle, 2008). This is despite of the “substantial sums spent on information campaigns, the marketing of condoms” (Cleland & Watkins, 2006, p. 2; Meekers, Van Rossem, Zellner, & Berg, 2004), and a high awareness of HIV/AIDS risk (Momoh, Moses, & Ugiomoh, 2006; National Population Commission [NPC] and ICF Macro, 2009).  Consequently, unprotected sex “has become a key life goal and a source of personal fulfillment” in Nigeria (Jackson & Scott, 2017). In particular, heterosexual prowess and sexual conquest have become key indicators of trendiness, a basis for peer acceptance; connote good living; and continue to instigate similar and further conducts.

Moreover, normative sanctions against unmarried youths sexual activities are relatively weaker today in comparison with Nigeria’s abstention-oriented traditional past. The weakening of premarital sex sanctions is due to the combined effects of social change, late marriage, human rights gains, increased geographical mobility, and shrinking parental and community surveillance of unmarried people. Family and community sanctions for premarital sex now seem to operate on a don’t-ask-don’t-tell basis, as long as unintended outcomes of unprotected sex, such as unintended pregnancies, health implications do not manifest.