Paper Title
Prevalence and Pattern of Adolescent Sexual Activities in Nigeria: Implications for Unmet need for Contraceptive Use
Abstract
The number/percent of sexually active adolescents who do not want children or who want to delay their sexual debut by two or more years, but who lack the social support to resist sexual initiation is increasing. Many adolescents do not have the ability or social support to resist pressure to have sexual relations, negotiate safer sex or protect themselves against unintended pregnancy and STIs, young people ages 15 to 24 are the fastest rising group of HIV cases in the world at 6,000 new cases every day. In sub-Saharan Africa, two thirds of HIV-positive young adults are young women. This study was a descriptive cross sectional study of Northern Cross River State of Nigeria. The area is made up of five Local Government Areas (Obudu, Obanliku, Bekwarra, Ogoja and Yala). The study used both male and female adolescents who are in and out of school including those learning a trade, house helps, dropouts, nursing adolescents. Results showed that a majority of the respondents, eighty-two percent are students. Data indicated that adolescent sexual debut is comparatively young. This explains why there is a high sexual permissiveness in this part of the country. Eighty percent of respondents had had sex at their eighteenth birthday. The lack of social support and sex education affects the ability and disposition of young people to the use of contraception. An improvement in this regard will help in changing this trend.
Keywords- Adolescents, Pattern and Prevalence, Contraception, Unmet Need, Nigeria.