Sexual experience, knowledge, attitude and practice on contraception was studied among 991 senior high school students in north Gonder in May 1993 using anonymous questionnaire. Three-hundred-four students (30.7%) answered that they had experienced sexual intercourse. Out of 83 sexually active female students 25(30.1%) reported to have been pregnant. Only four students admitted to have had abortion. Seven-hundred-fifty (75.7%) students claimed that they know at least one method of modern contraception. Of the variables considered in the study reported knowledge of pills and positive attitude to contraception were significantly associated with modern contraceptive use. The most common reason for not using modern contraceptive methods among sexually active respondents was little or no knowledge of contraceptives followed by no access to contraceptives and harmful effects of contraceptives. It is recommended that family life education should be conducted in high schools. Counselling and clinical services on family planning in high schools and places where adolescents gather for recreation and other purposes may also be considered.
PIP: Sexual experience, knowledge, attitude, and practice of contraception was studied among 991 senior high school students 15-17 years old in 3 secondary schools in north Gonder, Ethiopia, in May 1993 using an anonymous questionnaire. 304 (30.7%) students reported that they had experienced sexual intercourse. 14 (4.6%) of these students had started sex life at 14 years of age. 42 (13.8%) students had sex only with a spouse, 150 (49.3%) with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and 59 (19.4%) with a prostitute. 44 (14.5%) had sex with more than one of these. Out of 83 sexually active female students 25 (30.1%) reported having been pregnant. Seven students had been pregnant twice. Only 4 students admitted to having had an abortion. 750 (75.7%) students claimed that they knew at least 1 method of modern contraception. 750 (75.5%) students knew at least 1 contraceptive method, with the pill being best known (60.7%) followed by the condom (50.8%). 731 (73.8%) students recounted that the condom protects against sexually transmitted diseases. 365 (37.8%) students cited schools as the source of contraceptive information; 265 (27.5%) cited books; 185 (19.2%) cited friends; 122 (12.7%) cited the mass media; and 27 (2.8%) mentioned sexual partners. 533 (53.8%) students wanted to have sex with only 1 partner; 48 (3.8%) preferred many partners; and 13 (1.3%) did not want sexual intercourse at all. The minimum number of children wanted was 2, and 82 (8.3%) wanted to have 7 to 14 children. 51 (5.1%) of the respondents had used a modern contraceptive: 31 had used the condom and 20 had used the pill. 929 (93.7%) had never used any contraception. Only 16.6% of those with sexual experience had used contraceptives. 15 students got contraceptives from health institutions, 23 from drug vendors, 7 from shops, and 5 from friends. Knowledge of pills and positive attitude to contraception were significantly associated with modern contraceptive use. The most common reason for not using modern contraceptive methods among sexually active respondents was little or no knowledge of contraceptives (70 or 27.7%) followed by no access to contraceptives (54 or 21.3%) and harmful effects of contraceptives (50 or 19.8%). It is recommended that family life education should be conducted in high schools along with counseling and clinical family planning services.