Reproductive Health Behavior and Needs of Street Youth in Dessie

Street youth are exposed to situations that make them vulnerable to sexual and reproductive health problems. Street youth have risky sexual behaviors that increase the likelihood of adverse sexual and reproductive health consequences. Majority, 67.9%, of the study groups had started sexual intercourse with the mean age of 15.2 years. Ever having sex was associated with being male, income, duration on the street, former residence, alcohol drinking and khat chewing. 80.6% of the respondents have more than one sexual partners and the mean lifetime number of sexual partners was 4.85. Among sexually active street youth, 63.9 % had ever used modern contraceptives and it was associated with type of street life, sex, marital status, secondary education and alcohol drinking. Consistent use of condoms was found to be low, 22.8%. The level of awareness about contraception, HIV/AIDS and other STIs was considerably high, nevertheless, most of them are found to be involved in risky sexual behaviors and the great majority of them considered themselves at low risk for HIV.... Mehr