Volume 41, Issue 1, November 2023, Pages 279–288
Vinie Mwanza Numbi1, Berthe Tshikala Kosa2, Isabelle Kasongo Omba3, Rosalie Mugoli Kalimira4, Philippe Mulenga Cilundika5, and Abdon Wa Mukalay Mukalay6
1 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
2 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
3 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
4 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
5 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
6 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
Original language: English
Copyright © 2023 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Condom utilization at sexual initiation is associated with subsequent condom use and with a decreased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Our study objective was to determine the factors related to the use of condoms at first sexual intercourse and the level of knowledge about STIs/HIV/AIDS among high school students in grades 11 and 12. A cross-sectional survey was conducted within three secondary schools in Lubumbashi City, D.R. Congo, from 2017. Sampling was exhaustive of the 563 pupils present on the day of the survey. A logistic regression analysis was performed. The mean age of the respondents was 18.2 ± 1.4 years. HIV/AIDS was the most commonly mentioned STI (99.8%). Sexual intercourse was the most quoted path of infection (93.4%) for STIs/HIV/AIDS. Condom use was the most cited form of prevention. Among the respondents, 21.2% had ever been sexually active. The condom was the most commonly used contraceptive (89.1%). The 118 pupils who were sexually active included 13.9% of all girls and 35.3% of all boys with a significant difference (p <0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that children 12 and older, and students who cited their parents as sources of information were more likely to use condoms at first sexual intercourse compared others. Students whose father’s or guardian’s education included university and who reported abstinence as a means to prevent STIs or pregnancy were less likely to use condoms at sexual debut than the others. Hence, family members, leaders and teachers should discuss reproductive health and responsible sexuality earlier with children.
Author Keywords: Condom use, first sexual intercourse, knowledge, STI, HIV, school student, Lubumbashi, DRC.
Vinie Mwanza Numbi1, Berthe Tshikala Kosa2, Isabelle Kasongo Omba3, Rosalie Mugoli Kalimira4, Philippe Mulenga Cilundika5, and Abdon Wa Mukalay Mukalay6
1 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
2 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
3 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
4 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
5 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
6 Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, RD Congo
Original language: English
Copyright © 2023 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Condom utilization at sexual initiation is associated with subsequent condom use and with a decreased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Our study objective was to determine the factors related to the use of condoms at first sexual intercourse and the level of knowledge about STIs/HIV/AIDS among high school students in grades 11 and 12. A cross-sectional survey was conducted within three secondary schools in Lubumbashi City, D.R. Congo, from 2017. Sampling was exhaustive of the 563 pupils present on the day of the survey. A logistic regression analysis was performed. The mean age of the respondents was 18.2 ± 1.4 years. HIV/AIDS was the most commonly mentioned STI (99.8%). Sexual intercourse was the most quoted path of infection (93.4%) for STIs/HIV/AIDS. Condom use was the most cited form of prevention. Among the respondents, 21.2% had ever been sexually active. The condom was the most commonly used contraceptive (89.1%). The 118 pupils who were sexually active included 13.9% of all girls and 35.3% of all boys with a significant difference (p <0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that children 12 and older, and students who cited their parents as sources of information were more likely to use condoms at first sexual intercourse compared others. Students whose father’s or guardian’s education included university and who reported abstinence as a means to prevent STIs or pregnancy were less likely to use condoms at sexual debut than the others. Hence, family members, leaders and teachers should discuss reproductive health and responsible sexuality earlier with children.
Author Keywords: Condom use, first sexual intercourse, knowledge, STI, HIV, school student, Lubumbashi, DRC.
How to Cite this Article
Vinie Mwanza Numbi, Berthe Tshikala Kosa, Isabelle Kasongo Omba, Rosalie Mugoli Kalimira, Philippe Mulenga Cilundika, and Abdon Wa Mukalay Mukalay, “Condoms use determinants at first intercourse and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections by high school students in Lubumbashi, DR Congo,” International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 279–288, November 2023.
