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This study conducted to investigate factors associated with early sexual debut and related
HIV/AIDS knowledge among female adolescents. A simple random sampling was
performed to obtain 120 girls from one study district and three wards. The respondents
included school-going and non-school-going young girls in the study area. Using mixed
research method, this study employed a follow-up explanatory model, which allowed the
use of qualitative data to explain and expound the quantitative findings. Data were
collected using cross-sectional survey and interview. Chi square tests were run to assess
the association between socio-demographic factors and early sexual debut among female
adolescents in Mtwara District. Descriptive statistics and content analyses were employed
to describe the respondents’ awareness and knowledge level of HIV/AIDS and the impacts
of early sexual debut. Results in this study indicated that 70 percent of the respondents had
their sexual debut as minors, whereas 30 percent had not involved themselves in sexual
intercourse. Results also showed that age (χ 2 =11.315, df=1, sign=0.001), peer pressure (χ 2
=65.013, df=1, sign=.000) and family members living with the respondents (χ 2 =8.832,
df=3, sign=0.032 were significantly associated with young female adolescents’
engagement in early sexual intercourse. Majority (69.2%) of the female adolescents were
informed of the HIV/AIDS dynamics. Knowledge level was found to be significantly
associated with engagement in early sexual debut (χ 2 =11.613, df=1, P=0.001). This study
also showed that, 36.9 percent of young girls experienced poor academic performance,
teenage pregnancy (13.1%), early marriage (8.3%), and school dropout (19%) due to their
early initiation into sexual relations. Therefore, the study argues that female adolescents in
Mtwara District were reported to begin sexual debut much early and some of them had
little knowledge on how they should protect against HIV transmission. Hence, study
argues the importance of both (father and mother) parenting system that it may help to
shape adolescents’ sexual behaviour. |
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