Transactional sex and risk sexual behaviors among female undergraduate students at Makerere University.

Abstract

Background: Transactional sex (TS) is a common practice among young people leading to various forms of risky behaviors that may increase the burden of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions as well as poor academic performance. However, the extent of TS, the risky sexual behaviors and their correlation has not been investigated among the female undergraduate students at Makerere University. The aim of the study was to investigate the extent of transactional sex and risky sexual behaviors among female undergraduate students at Makerere University. Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the female undergraduate students at Makerere University to determine the extent of transactional sex, risky sexual behaviors and their correlation. Simple random sampling was used in selection of the participants. Data was collected using a questionnaire. It was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Univariate analysis was conducted for socio-demographic factors, risky sexual behaviors as well as transactional sex. Then Phi and crammer‟s V statistics were used to relate TS and the risky sexual behaviors. Results: The mean age of the study participant was a 22.0±1.8 year. Majority of the participants (68.7%) were in second and third year of study. Almost three quarters (71.8%) of the participants were private sponsored. Over two thirds (69.5%) reported to ever had sex of which 49.2% reported to have ever involved in TS. About 6 in ten (59.4%) had their sexual debut at ≥18 years. More than one in two (54.1%) reported to have had more than two life-time sexual partners. Forty eight percent of the participants were involved in concurrent and multiple sexual relationships. Those who did not use a condom at their last sexual encounter were 36.1% and 21.7% had ever experienced sexual coercion. The findings showed that TS had a positive correlation with concurrent and multiple and life-time sexual partners and physical violence, with a significant statistical difference (P <0.05); and a negative correlation with age of sexual debut, condom use and sex coercion. Conclusion: Transactional sex and risky sexual behaviors are common among the female undergraduate students at Makerere University. TS has both positive and negative correlations with risky sexual behaviors.