Risky sexual behavior, social support and depression among Makerere University students

Abstract

The study was mainly aimed at examining the relationship between risky sexual behavior, social support and depression among Makerere university students. The study adopted a cross-sectional study design employing quantitative approach of collecting data. In this research study, quantitative correlational study design was used to provide insights and total understanding of the problem. This study was conducted in Makerere University among 204 sexually active Makerere University undergraduate students aged 18 years or older. The data collected was entered in Microsoft excel and exported into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 14 (SPSS) for analysis. There was a significant positive correlation coefficient between risky sexual behavior and depression. Furthermore, statistically, significant negative correlation between social support and depression. Depression is a potential risk factor for students engaging in risky sexual behaviors. Interventions should increase social support and improve emotional well-being to reduce the chances of students engaging in risky sexual behaviors.