Unprotected Sex among Sexually Active Unmarried Young Adults: A Pariah or Preemptive Incidence

Abstract

Globally, HIV endemic has been linked to several but preventable predictors, amongst these, is the practice of unprotected sex. In spite of the burdens of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, there is a dearth of studies with focus outside the conventional approach to predicting the incidence of unprotected sex among sexually active unmarried young adults in Nigeria. This study addresses this limitation. The study adopted a crosssectional and multistage sampling technique. A total sample size of 384 respondents was systematically and randomly selected among young adults aged 20-29 in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Unprotected sex was the study's response variable and was categorised into respondents who had unprotected sex in at least the last three months prior the survey with single sex partner and those who had with multiple sex partners over the same period. The key explanatory variables were a pariah and preemptive factors while the confounding variable was knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Rank-ordered logistic regression was employed using Stata 14. Results showed that pariah and preemptive factors were significantly associated with unprotected sex (p<0.05). The study concluded that the incidence of unprotected sex among unmarried young adults across Ile-Ife communities was predisposed to pariah and preemptive factors. Contribution/Originality:This study contributes in the existing literature by reconnoitering risky sexual behaviour outside the conventional recognized approach; it documents joint influence of pariah and preemptive factors on incidence of unprotected sex; as such document provides insights to inhibiting the spread of HIV and avoidance of unwanted pregnancy outside wedlock. INTRODUCTIONGlobally, the spread of HIV has been related to several but preventable predictors, amongst these factors, is the practice of unprotected sex. The severity of the protruding implications of HIV/AIDS infection has led to it being recognised as one of the few deadliest infections in the world without a cure [1][2][3][4]. Specifically, AIDS remains one of the primary causes of death among young adults across countries in sub-Saharan Africa [5,6]. The bulging effects of HIV/AIDS cut across economic, social and cultural spheres with infected people without adequate care were alienated to severe health implications, and deaths becoming inevitable [7][8][9]. Consequently, where no adequate, proper and timely healthcare facilities are not readily accessed, HIV/AIDS epidemic has increased the incidence of mortality among the infected individuals leading to a drop in their level of economic productivity [10-