Analysis of Self-System Predisposing Factors for Students Risky Sexual Behavior: The Case of Adigrat, Mekelle and Axum Universities

Adolescents are at high risk for a number of negative health consequences associated with unplanned and unsafe sexual activity, including infection with human immunodeficiency virus, other sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy. The main aim of this study was to explore the main predisposing factors that reinforce university students to engage in such behaviour. Using multi-stage stratified random sampling 150 university students were used as participants for the quantitative approach and FGDs and interviews were used for the qualitative part. As a result, this research has attempted to pinpoint the predisposing factors associated with the self, family and extra-familial systems. Therefore, both in the quantitative and qualitative analyses of this study found that academic performance, drug and alcohol use from the self-system, family economy and fellow up from the family system and health education, peer influence from extra-familial system were found the most significant factors associated with university students risk sexual behaviour. Besides, sex, and university control were not found significant predictors. The result of this study was consistent and inconsistent with previous studies on the topic.