PATTERNS OF UNSAFE SEXUAL ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES AMONG STUDENTS OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NASARAWA STATE

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to find out the patterns of unsafe sexual attitude and practices among students of tertiary institutions in Nasarawa state. To achieve the purpose of this study, eight  specific  objectives  with  corresponding research questions  were  posed  and  eight  null hypotheses  postulated.  Descriptive  survey  research  design  was  used  for  the  study.  The population for the study was 27,879 students while multi-stage sampling procedure was used to draw a sample of 696 students for the study. The instruments used for the data collection was the

31 item researcher design questionnaire called unsafe sexual attitudes and practices questionnaire (PUSAPQ) and the focus group discussion guide(FGD). The research questions were answered using means and percentages while null hypotheses were tested using the t-Tests, ANOVA and Chi-square statistics.  The  following results were  obtained: The  students exhibited  negative

attitudes towards unsafe sex ( x  =2.45 < 2.50) while overall 24.9% practiced unsafe sex. Both male and female students indicated negative attitude towards unsafe sex with male slightly

higher than female students (male  x  = 2.49 > female 2.38). Male students aged 23 – 26 years indicated positive attitudes towards unsafe sex (2.51) and negative for 27 years+. Slightly higher proportion of student age 27 years+ and 15 – 18 years practiced unsafe sex than other age groups

19 – 22 years and 23 – 26 years. Male practiced unsafe sex more than female counterparts (male

= 29.9% > female = 27.5%). On-campus and off-campus student demonstrated negative attitude (on-campus  x  = 2.49 > off-campus = 2.42) while a higher proportion of on-campus students practiced unsafe sexual practices than off-campus students (on-campus = 33.6% > off-campus

26.7%). Student exhibited unsafe attitudes during academic session ( x =2.45) and weekends ( x

= 2.45) than during holidays (2.40) and   festivities ( x  = 2.38) while a higher proportion of students practiced unsafe sexual attitudes during weekends (42.9%), than holidays (34.8%), festive periods (30.5%), academic session (25.7%) rainy and dry season (21.2%) and (18.9%) respectively. Based on the findings and conclusions the researcher recommended among others the incorporation of comprehensive sexuality education in general studies courses in all the tertiary institutions in the state.

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Background to the Study

CHAPTER ONE Introduction

1

The globe  is awash with expressions  of increasing  concerns  about  a world  under threat  of diseases,  especially,  communicable  diseases  of sexuality  through  unsafe  sexual attitudes  and  practices.  The  continued  decimation  of  population  through  afflictions  and spread of diseases appears to compete favourably with continued flow of natural disasters and wars (Campbell, 2009). According to Park (2010) unsafe sexual attitudes and practices have reportedly reached alarming prevalence in several countries especially sub-Sahara Africa.

Globally, excluding HIV and AIDS there are about 333 million new cases of sexually transmitted  infections (STIs) per year (Afsar, Mahmood,  Kaddir,  Barrey  Bilgramir  2005) United  Population Fund UNPF, (2007)  reported that young people  world-wide  are at the centre of HIV and AIDS epidemic in terms of rate of infection and vulnerability. Out of about

1.5 billion people world-wide, 11.8 million were estimated to be living with HIV and AIDS

and everyday between 5,000-6000 young people aged 15-24 years contract HIV.

Sexually  transmitted  infections  (STIs),  HIV  and  AIDS  is  a  devastating  human tragedy and the greatest humanitarian challenge of our time. The pandemic is still a complex public health problem in sub-Saharan  Africa which accounts  for more than  65 percent of STIs and HIV infections  worldwide  (UNAIDS  & WHO,  2009). This  has  been a painful reality, with noticeable impact on families, communities and the society at large. There has been an intense debate in the last two decades on the relative roles of unsafe sex and unsafe health care on STIs and HIV spread in Sub- Saharan Africa, but most public health experts believe  that  unsafe  sexual  behaviors  (unprotected  sex  and  multiple  and  concurrent  sex partners)  are  the  mechanism  through  which  STIs  and  HIV  is  spreading  in  the  region (Halperin and Epstein, 2007; Leclerc- Madlala, 2008). According to these authors, multiple sexual partnerships—particularly  overlapping or concurrent partnerships—by both men and women lie at the root of the persistence or the severity of the STIs and HIV epidemic in sub- Saharan Africa.

The Nigeria national HIV prevalence rate had steadily increased from 1.8 per cent in

1991 to 5.8 per cent in 2001 with a decline to 5.0 per cent in 2003 and 4.4 per cent in 2005 (Sentinel Survey, 2005). However, there is wide variation in the prevalence rate across age groups, geographic locations and occupations. Fifteen states of Nigeria have HIV prevalence rates  above  the  national  average  of  4.4  per  cent  with  Benue  State  having  the  highest

prevalence rate of 10 per cent, while Jigawa, Ekiti and Oyo states have the least prevalence rates of less than 2.1 per cent (UNAIDS, 2007). Furthermore, a prevalence rate of 5.2 per cent was reported for the age group 15-24 years, with adolescent girls being three times more vulnerable   than   boys.   The   infections   burden   among   others   includes   hepatitis   B, trichonomasis,  genital herps,  genital warts syphilis,  gonorrhea,  chlamydia,  genital herpes, pelvic inflammation disease (PID). Most of these diseases are asymptomatic in women can lead to sterility if not treated (Lucas & Gilles, 2003). Laksaman (2003) opined that students of Nigerian tertiary institutions seem to continue to engage more in unsafe sex practices such as pre-marital sex, homosexuality,  having multiple sexual partners and abortion more than ever before, perhaps because of their liberal sexual attitudes. Odu (2008) revealed that most students were sexually  active  and engaged in high risk sex such as casual sex, same sex, multiple  sexual  partners,  and sex in exchange  for money or favour. Similarly Centre  for Diseases Control (2008) reported that student’s used of alcohol and drugs are in increase and likelihood of high-risk sexual behaviours when they are drunk and high seem to be prevalent. School students are less likely to use safe sex techniques such as condom,  or may use it incorrectly or inconsistently, because, substance use can impair judgment and lead students to make high-risk decisions.

In  the  area  of  study  through  experience  and  observation,  students  of  tertiary institutions,  no  more  under  the  close  supervision  of parents  easily  fall  prey  to  youthful exuberances. Some organize parties, social nights involving taking of alcohol and smoking, watching of pornographic movies, wearing of obnoxious dresses, mostly by female students which  expose  sensitive  parts  of  their  body.  Also  during  holidays  which  coincides  with festivities  like  Christmas,  Easter  and  Sallah,  students  exhibit  these  habits,  some  put  on expensive  ornaments and dresses, organize  expensive  parties without  any form of gainful employment or business. These practices of students may imply that they may be involved in unsafe sexual attitudes and practices.  Despite these observations, there is no any statistical data  to  students  involvement  in  unsafe  sexual  attitudes  and practices  in  Nasarawa  State institutions. Unsafe sexual practices often lead to consequences like unwanted pregnancies, unsafe and illegal abortions, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, it becomes necessary to study the unsafe sexual attitude and practices of the students to provide a base line data in their institutions.

An individual’s attitude is an embodiment of his or her personality. People’s attitudes to a great  extent  exert  significant  impact  either  negatively  or positively  on  their  actions

(sexual practice inclusive), which are exhibited by humans. Allport (1995) described attitude as a mental or neutral state of readiness organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon the responses to all objects and situations with which it is related. Hornby (2007) defined attitude as the way one thinks, or feels, behaves towards somebody or something.

Attitudes  can  also  be  expressed  or  exhibited  in  relation  to  sexuality.  When  this phenomenon occurs it is called sexual attitude. Wikipedia Foundation (2011) views human sexual attitude as the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality.  Some sexual attitudes and practices are considered safe or unsafe, legal or illegal either universally or in some countries, and some are considered against the norms of a society. Such example, are sexual permissiveness, unfaithfulness with sexual partner, and lack of mutual respect for sexual partner (Erens, McManus, Field, Korovessis, Johnson, Fenton, & Wellings, 2001; & Waites, 2005).

Sex can only be described  as “safe” or “unsafe” if something  is known about  the

context in which it takes place and with whom. Having sex does not place a person at risk of contracting a disease unless that person’s partner has an infection, which he can transmit. Therefore,  unlike  many other  risk  factors,  which  are  independent  of the  situation  in the broader  population,  or  with  respect  to  other  individuals,  unsafe  sex  cannot  be  uniquely defined by the set of actions of an at-risk individual. Rather, a definition must be based on an analysis of the individual’s  actions  in the  light  of the  background  prevalence  of disease (Rowley & Berkley, 1998).

Berkley (1998) conceptualized safe sex as consensual sexual contact with a  partner who  is  not  infected  with  any  sexually  transmitted  pathogens  and  involving  the  use  of appropriate contraceptives to prevent pregnancy unless the couple is intentionally attempting to have a child. Wikipedia Foundation (2011) viewed safe sex as sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against STIs and HIV and AIDS. Many activities are categorized as safe sexual activities.

Activities, such as kissing (with the mouth closed) and hugging are considered safe. Other forms of touching, such as body massage, are considered safe as long as there is no skin-to-skin contact that involves the genital area and buttocks and no  contact with body fluids. Using a condom during sexual activities such as vaginal, anal or oral sex is considered safe and can also greatly reduce the risk of getting or spreading STIs. In addition, finding out

more about the person before having sex, abstinence and sticking to one partner, however this study restricts itself to unsafe sex.

Hornby (2007) viewed unsafe sex as sexual activity engaged in without precautions to protect against STIs. Slaymaker, Walker, Zabia and Collumbien (2005) defined unsafe sex as sex between  a susceptible  person  and  partner  who  has  a STI  without  taking  preventive measures  against  it.  Slaymaker  et  al.  (2005)  further  stated  that  unsafe  sex  occurs  if  a susceptible person has sex with at least one partner who has an STI, without taking measures to prevent infection. Susceptible individuals are not yet infected, either because the infectious agent has not been successfully transmitted, or  because the agent has been transmitted but infection has not yet been established. Therefore, in the context of the present study, unsafe sexual attitudes by students of tertiary institutions shall refer to the actions in which students experience and express their sexuality without adopting necessary precautionary measures to avoid contracting STIs/HIV, abortions, unintended pregnancies and emotional stress.

Erens,   McManus,   Field,   Korovessis,   Johnson,   Fenton,   and   Wellings   (2001)

highlighted examples of unsafe sexual attitudes such as sexual permissiveness, unfaithfulness with sexual partner,  lack of mutual respect  and appreciation  for sexual  partner’s opinion, negative opinion of HIV blood test before sex (sero-positive status), negative opinion of STIs diagnoses, injection of non-prescribed drugs before sex and opinion of having abortion when pregnant.  UNAID’  (2007)  indicated  that  unsafe   sexual  attitudes  are  becoming   more institutions. The report further mentioned that  the  consequences  of this quagmire are very terrible.

Park  (2009)  and  Samuel  (2010)  listed  STIs  that  plague  youths  as  a  result   of indulgence   in   unsafe   sexual   attitudes   and   practices.   These   include   genital   herpes, trichomonas,   gonorrhea,  syphilis,  Chlamydia,  non-specific  or   non-gonococcus  arthritis, genital warts, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), vaginal  thrush, hepatitis B virus, human papillomavirus, candidacies and candidacies albicans. Others are trichomoniasis, and herpes genitalis.  The aforementioned  plagues that are  associated  with inordinate  sexual practices could be prevented when youths adopt safe sexual practices.

Hornby (2007) defined practice as action not ideas. It is a way of doing  something that is the usual or expected way in a particular organization. It could be  habit or custom- something  done  regularly.  Encarta  (2009)  defined  practices  as  usual  pattern  of  action especially  one that  has  developed  through  experience  and  knowledge.  Practices  that  are related to sexuality are known as sexual practices. Wordiq.com (2011) conceptualized sexual

practice as a form of physical intimacy that may be directed to reproduction (one  possible goal of sexual intercourse and/or to the enjoyment of activity) involving sexual gratification. In the context of this study, therefore, sexual practice shall be referred to as consensual/non consensual sexual activities engaged by students of tertiary institutions.

Some sexual practices are considered safe or unsafe, legal or illegal either universally or in some countries, and some are considered against the norms of a society. For example, anal sex or sexual activity with a person below some age of consent and sexual assault in general are criminal offenses in many jurisdictions  (Wikipedia  Foundation,  2011; Waites,

2005).

Although,  substantial  literature  (Berkley,  1998; Rowley & Berkley,  1998;  Waites,

2005; Slaymaker et al., 2005; Wikipedia Foundation, 2011) exemplifies two main dimensions of sexual practices, that is, safe and unsafe. Compact (2009) defined safe sexual practices as sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precaution to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and AIDS or pregnancy. Examples of safe sexual practices are use of condoms, hugging, kissing and massage, while unsafe sexual practices is sexual  activity  engaged  in  without   precautions  to  protect  against  sexually  transmitted infections It is pertinent to reiterate that the present study restricts its scope to unsafe sexual practices.

Slaymaker et al. (2005) viewed unsafe sexual practices as utilization of risky methods

or  procedures  that  expose  susceptible  persons  who  engage  in  diverse  forms  of  sexual activities  harmful  to  health.    Consequently,  unsafe  sexual  practice  in the  context  of the present study refers to utilization of unsafe methods or procedures  by  students of tertiary institutions during engagement in diverse forms of heterosexual or homosexual activities that expose them to STIs/HIV infection. Examples of unsafe  sexual practices prevalent among Nigerian youths as outlined by Fadiora, Oboro, Akinwusi, Adeoti, and Egbewale (2002) and UNAIDS  (2007)  include  having  multiple  sexual  partners,  sexual  relationship  with  sex hawkers  (commonly  called  “aristos”  in  Nigerian  tertiary institutions),  engaging  in sexual relations with prostitutes to have sexual experience, and engaging in penetrative sex (oral or anal or vaginal) without use of condoms.

With reference to adverse effects and burdens of unsafe sexual practices perpetration by youths globally, UNAIDS and WHO (2002) reported that most of the infections prevalent in 2001 were acquired through heterosexual sexual intercourse.  Most people infected with HIV do not know they are infected, making prevention and control difficult. The other STIs

included in the burden estimates as C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, HPV and T. pallidum (syphilis).  They cause morbidity in all regions of the world including  Sub-Sahara  Africa. Infection with some of these agents can lead to infertility (e.g. C.  trachomatis)  or cancer (HPV), and an acute STI may enhance the transmission of and susceptibility to HIV. Human behavior including unsafe sexual attitudes and practices could occur in patterns.

According to Hornby (2007) pattern is a regular way in which something happens or is done.  Cowie  (1990)  refers  to  patterns  as the  various  forms that  something  may  take. Similarly,  Farlex  (2008)  stated  that  patterns  have  to  do  with  any  act  of  conventional principles and expectations that are binding on any person who is a member of a particular group. There are several types of patterns. Pridemore, Andrew and Spivak (2003) classified patterns  into three  demographic,  temporal  and spatial  patterns.  Demographic  pattern  is a cogent parameter to understand human activity and behavior including unsafe sexual attitudes and practices. According to Maris (1981) and Stillion (1985) demographic variation refer to the pattern that is concerned with variables of age, gender level of education, marital status, occupation, socio-economic and health status. In the present study demographic variables of gender, age and location on unsafe sexual attitudes and practices among students of Nasarawa state tertiary  institutions  shall be examined. Gender and age and location may have some temporal variation.

Magnusson (2000) opined that temporal patterns provide significant advantage over traditional analysis by incorporating time. Temporal variations relates to variables  such as seasons, semesters, days of the week, public holidays, social gathering, weekends, and so on. In the context of this present study the time window shall be 12 months, which constitute an academic session in most Nigeria public tertiary  institutions.  Thus temporal variations  of school session are holiday period that students of Nasarawa State institution engage in unsafe sexual attitudes  and practices.  Pridemore  et al (2003)  described  spatial pattern  based  on geographical   regions,   or  a  particular   country   could   be  divided   into   economic   and administrative  regions or a result  of  the mixture  of structural and cultural forces. Spatial pattern refers to location where students have access or live like hostels, off campus (students villages) hotels and homes. In this study, spartial pattern of campus and off campus will be adopted  to  refer  to  geographical  location  of  exhibition  or  indulgence  in  unsafe  sexual attitudes and practices by students. It is pertinent to highlight that substantial proportion of students’  population  of Nigerian  tertiary  institutions  (universities,  colleges  of  education, polytechnics, technical colleges, health and medical institutions) falls within the age bracket

of 15-24 years. This age bracket  falls within WHO’s (1996)  and United Nations’  (2007) definitions of age bracket (15 to 24 years) for youths. This age bracket is also stipulated in Joint  Admission  Matriculation   Board-JAMB’s   (2010)   brochure  as  a   requirement   for admission into any Nigerian tertiary institution for a course of study ( must have attained the age of 16 before the applicant can be admitted).

STIs and HIV and AIDS, which are mostly caused by unsafe sexual attitudes  and practices are most prevalent among 20-24 year olds (age bracket of most students in tertiary institutions) and closely followed  by the 15-19 years cohort (WHO, 2002).  Mba’s (2003) revealed  that the most affected  age group by the dreaded STIs/HIV  epidemic are youths within the age bracket 15-30 years.

Ebere (2006) asserted that at the age of 18, most Nigerian  youths still engage  in unsafe  sexual  attitudes  and  practices  with  attendant  substantial  health,   economic  and psychological  consequences,  despite  increased  sexual  knowledge.  The  assertion  by  the aforementioned  researcher  is  a  pointer  to  the  need  to  determine  whether  or  not  similar patterns of sexual attitudes and practices currently exist among students of tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State who are the target population of this present study. Furthermore, Musbau (2010)  opined  that  most  studies  carried  out  on  sexual  behaviours  and  practices  among Nigerian  students  appear  to  have  focused  more  on  universities  students  leaving  out  a substantial category of students in the polytechnics and other tertiary institutions. This bizarre situation  justifies  the  selection  of  other  tertiary  institutions  including  one  university  for comparism.

Nasarawa  State has (6) tertiary institutions  that are controlled  by the state.  These institutions  are  mostly  located  in  the  semi-urban  and  urban  areas;  they  are  College  of Education,  Akwanga;  College  of  Agriculture,  Lafia;  Nasarawa  State  Polytechnic,  Lafia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Lafia; School of Health Technology, Keffi and Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

The study was anchored on three theories viz: Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Problem Behaviour Theory (PBT). The theory of planned behaviour  based it premises that individual have the ability to control behaviour  based on moral justification  and outcome  of behaviour  despite  social  pressure.  Problem  Behaviour Theory involves risk taking by youths both negatively and  positively (youths as agents of social and political change, exploring, innovators and creativity). The social cognitive theory is a bidirectional process between an individual and the environment. One construct of SCT

is self efficacy an individual can influence the environment or be influenced by environment encourage  by others  family,  cliques,  peer  group,  friends  and  the  social  environment.  A sexually permissive society encourages unsafe sexual attitudes and practices which may be the case of students of Nasarawa State tertiary institutions who  are the focus of this study. Following  from  the  above,  the  social  environment,  which  influences  students,  may  be characterized with various age grades.

Age is a crucial determinant in unsafe sexual attitudes and practices. revealed that the mean age of sexual initiation for female adolescents is 13.7 years, and males 15 years. Those with more than one sexual partner were 22.6 percent (Etuk and Etuk, 2004). They asserted that 78.8 percent of total female respondents initiated intercourse at the age of 12 years, those that have more than one partner were 51 percent of total respondents and for those of more than 5 sexual partners, 6 percent. The early age indulgence in sexual activities can account for high incidences of unplanned sex, unplanned pregnancies and even sexually transmitted infections and HIV among adolescents  in  Nigeria. The aforementioned  implicated various age groups in different places may be same with students of tertiary institution in Nasarawa State which this study is set to find out. Although early age groups have been implicated thus unsafe sexual attitudes and practices may have gender variations.

Most men and women become sexually active during adolescence  (Glasier,  2006), and that physical maturation occurs earlier in young men, but psychological and emotional readiness for potential consequences of sexual activity occurs much later than menarche. In some settings,  young  men have sex before reaching  physical  maturity;  doing  so is often related  to engaging  in high-risk  or harmful  behaviour  (Dixon-Mueller,  2008). Odimegwu (2005) reported that male students were more likely to have sex much earlier and to engage in unsafe sex. Also, there were no obvious differences between the genders in numbers of same sex partners and also that  male  student  display  more liberal sexual attitudes  than female students. The above evidences may also be found among students of tertiary institutions will be verified in this study.

In a study by Adaramaja et al (2010) they reported that environment a very prominent role in the life style of student especially where the live. In their research they discovered that off- campus students were more involved in the unhealthy lifestyles than the on-campus students. Early  on  Olley  (2008)  reported  that  anecdotal  evidence  showed  that  most  sexual  risk behaviours among university and college students may have been acquired through period of campus  life.  Shumba  et al (2011)  in their  studies  added  factors  like Lax supervision  of

students and sexual experimentation influence by alcohol and drugs in university and college campus.

Most of the studies above were conducted during academic sessions which  signify that unsafe sexual activities by students are prevalent during academic sessions, the holiday periods  are  when  students  are  in  the  custody  of  parents.  Bandura  (2004)  stated  that individuals  are both product and producers of their own environment and their social system the effect is that the environment and social system in which individuals lives influences their behviour  mechanism  of self system.  Parents  who  are  highly  sexually  permissive  and  or society which is sexually permissive produces their kind. Youths copy or imitate behaviours from adults or peer within their social context. Also those that are living within areas of rapid population  growth,  rural-urban  migration  and  in  slums.  Another  factor  is  poverty  some female students uses the periods of holidays for prostitution to pay for school fees and other necessities. (Uche 2011).

Age and gender, on campus and off-campus living, academic session and holidays are variables to be involved in this study. This study is set to determine the patterns of unsafe sexual attitudes and practices and whether unsafe sexual attitudes are associated  with age, gender and above listed variables among students in Nasarawa State.

Statement of the Problem

The youths can be characterized as the most active segment of the population of any society, youths are the bedrock on which the society is anchored, and often regarded to as leaders of tomorrow (Uche, 2011). College entrance marks a time of significant change in the life of young adults and offers greatly expanded opportunities for self governance and choice of career.

Unfortunately, youths easily fall prey to youthful exuberances more so because they are no longer under the watchful eyes of their parents and the school cannot control or mark their modes of behaviour especially after school hours. Students often organize social nights, parties  on and off campus where  alcohol,  smoking,  substance  use and  engaging  in risky sexual behaviour that endangers their health and lead to untimely death and economic loss to the nation. It is a pity to see college  girls trying to “out dress”  one another by wearing indecent dresses despite dress codes enforced in some  institutions exposing very sensitive parts of their body ranging from micro, mini-skirts, topless gowns. In Nigerian those who are at high risk for STIs and HIV and AIDS, are college and university students due to unsafe

sexual behaviours, experimentation with alcohol and drugs and failure to see themselves at risk  for  infection  are  particularly  vulnerable  to  diseases  (Eke-Huber,  2011).  The  poor economic conditions in Nigeria exert great pressure on young people  to engage  in unsafe sexual activities. Many female collage students turn to commercial sex work to enable them buy materials, dresses, ornaments, pay school fees. Some male and female students are co- habiting in off campus residences

University and college students are at a stage in their lives characterized by searching discovering, and experimentation including sexual experimentation. They live and socialize with large numbers of other young adults, which encourages sexual  activities that are not mutually  monogamous.  For these  reasons,  university  and  college  students  are  reportedly engaging in unsafe sex, which places them at higher risk than the general public to contract STIs HIV and AIDS as well as unwanted pregnancies, illegal abortions (Uche 2011). Studies have shown that a high rate of engagement by students in unsafe sexual behavioural practices such as high average  number  of partners,  sex with unknown persons,  inconsistent  use of condoms, negative views about condom use, abuse of various substances (Engueselassie  & Tamire 2007).

Based on the above mentioned worrisome observations, no statistical data is available on actual level of engagement  of students of Nasarawa  state institutions  in  unsafe sexual attitude and practices, hence, the interest in this study.

Several  studies  have  been  conducted  on  unsafe  sexual  attitudes  and  practices  in universities, adolescents and out of school youths, but none was to the best of the researcher’s knowledge  conducted  on tertiary  institutions  in Nasarawa  State. The  pressuring  questions were:

1.   What are the patterns of unsafe sex attitudes  prevalent  among  students  of  tertiary institutions in Nasarawa state?

2.   What patterns of unsafe practices are prevalent among students of tertiary institutions in Nasarawa state?

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the present study was to find out the patterns of unsafe sexual attitudes and practices among tertiary institution students in Nasarawa State. Specifically, this study seeks to find out:

1.   unsafe sexual attitudes among students of Nasarawa State tertiary institutions;

2.   unsafe sexual practices among students;

3.   demographic pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes among students;

4.   temporal pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes among students;

5.   spatial pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes among students;

6.   demographic pattern of unsafe sexual practices among students

7.   temporal pattern of unsafe sexual practices among students and

8.   spatial pattern of unsafe sexual practices among students.

Research questions

Based on the objectives of this study, the following questions were posed to guide the present study.

1.   What are the unsafe sexual attitudes prevalent among students?

2.   What are the unsafe sexual practices prevalent among students?

3.   What is the demographic pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes prevalent among students?

4.   What is the demographic pattern of unsafe sexual practices prevalent among students?

5.   What is the spatial pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes prevalent among students?

6.   What is the spatial pattern of unsafe sexual practices prevalent among the students?

7.   What is the temporal pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes prevalent among the students?

8.   What is the temporal pattern of unsafe sexual practices prevalent among the students?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance at appropriate degree of freedom.

1.   There is no significant difference in the temporal pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes according to gender.

2.   There is no significant difference in the temporal pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes according to age.

3.   There is no significant difference in the temporal pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes according to institutional type.

4.   There is no significant difference in the temporal pattern of unsafe sexual practices of students according to gender.

5.   There is no significant difference in the temporal pattern of unsafe sexual practices of students according to age.

6.   There is no significant difference in the temporal pattern of unsafe sexual practices according to institutional type.

7.   There is no significant difference in the pattern of unsafe sexual attitudes according to location.

8.   There is no significant differences in the pattern of unsafe sexual practices of students according to location.

Significance of the study

The study of this nature will be of benefit in many ways. The result of this study will be of benefits to several agencies concerns with sexually transmitted infection, like National Agency  for  the  Control  of  Aids  (NACA)  and  Ministry  of  Health  through  intensifying programmes that will affect the youths positively by involving the youths in organizing anti HIV clubs and assist them in organizing rallies and symposia. The data will also be useful to tertiary institutions of enforcing laws concerning dressing (dress code) by specifying types of dress not to be worn and also regulate social gatherings held by students.

The findings on demographic pattern on unsafe sexual practice will be of benefit to curriculum planners and National Education Research Council (NERC) in collaboration with tertiary  institutions   developed   curriculums   comprehensive   sexuality   education  for  the students at all levels. NACA will use the findings to reach out to students bearing in mind their importance in national development.

The findings on spatial patterns of unsafe sexual attitudes shall be useful to politicians to have political will of finding to regulate or place ban on western sexy magazines, movies and also  banning  adverts that promote  or encourage  unsafe  sex,  phonographic  films  and magazines. The findings will also help policy makers in areas of training of peer educators, setting of Voluntary Counseling and Confidential Testing (VCCT) in tertiary institutions, free and confidential treatment for STIs.

The findings on spatial pattern on unsafe sexual practices prevalent among  student will be useful to lecturers,  school authority,  Ministry of Education  on level  of student’s involvement in risky sexual practices and discourage such, the ills and consequences of usage sexual practices should be highlighted to students by lecturers, Health Educators and school authorities. The findings will also spur the government to build hostels accommodations to lessen loose living among students and to put restrictions on student’s movement in hostels of opposite sex.

The findings of on temporal patterns on unsafe sexual attitudes will be of benefit to

the  students  towards  developing   positive   habits  concerning   sex.  The  data  will   help government,       stakeholders  like  United  States  Agency  for  International  Development (USAID),  UNICEF,  WHO,  NACA  and  other  NGOs  to  organize  effective  and  timely interventions programmes, workshop for health providers, seminars, symposia and training of health educators.

The  findings  of temporal  pattern  of unsafe  sexual practices  will  be  beneficial  to parents  who will see the need to  formulate  strategies in curbing students inordinate habits, and  discouraging  all  forms  of  habit  that  promote  unsafe  sex  like  viewing  sexy  videos ponographic films at home or listening to sexy music, and being role model to the students.

The  findings  will  also  serve  as  stepping  stones  to  researchers,  NGOs  and  other stakeholders who have interest to venture into this area of study in the state or elsewhere.

Scope of the Study

The study was conducted  in Nasarawa  State  located  at the north central zone  of Nigeria sharing boundaries at the west by Federal Capital territory and Benue to the south, Taraba and Adamawa to east and by plateau and Kaduna States at the north. Nasarawa is one of the newly created in the year 1996 out of Plateau State.

The study was delimited to only state owned tertiary institution (university, colleges of education & agriculture, polytechnic and health institutions. These tertiary institutions are run by the same body- Department of Higher Education. The study also examines patterns (spatial, temporal and demographic) in relation to unsafe sexual attitudes and practices.  Amidst  numerous  demographic  variables  associated with youths risky sexual behaviours,  the present study was delimited  to  age, gender  and institutional type.

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