Prevalence of sexual intercourse among school-going adolescents in Coast Province, Kenya

A study was carried out to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of sexual intercourse among school adolescents in Coast Province, Kenya. Data were obtained through the Kenya Global School-Based Health Survey. Overall the prevalence of sexual intercourse within the last 12 months was 14.9% (22.2% in males and 5.0% in females). Among males, the protective factors against having sex were being of age <15 years (OR=0.60, 95%CI 0.58, 0.62) and ever been drunk (OR=0.63, 95%CI 0.59, 0.67). The risk factors for having sex among males were ever smoked (OR=2.05, 95%CI 1.92, 2.19), having close friends (OR=1.68, 95%CI 1.56, 1.81), currently drinking alcohol (OR=1.13, 95%CI 1.06, 1.20), ever used drugs (OR=2.36, 95%CI 2.24, 2.49) and parental supervision (OR=1.30, 95%CI 1.25, 1.34). Meanwhile among female respondents, parental supervision was protective (OR=0.88, 95%CI 0.81, 0.94) and the only risk factor was ever used drugs (OR=2.85, 95%CI 2.57, 3.15). It is suggested that public health interventions aimed to promote adolescent sexual health should be designed with the appreciation of the factors associated with sexual activity in due consideration.