Publications

Unsafe sex was very common among the youth as they got involved into unprotected andunsafe sex practices due to factors like lack of parental support and guidance, breakdown ofparent-child communication and cultural factors among others. The purpose of this studywas to identify the factors affecting effective use of condoms among adolescents of MayengoParish, Kamuganguzi Sub County, Kabale District. The study design was descriptive andsimple random sampling procedure was used to select 40 respondents. Data was collectedby use of a semi structured interview guide. The findings showed that 40 (100%) werecurrently involved in a sexual relationship, 37 (92.5%) knew about the safe sex practices, 34(85%) knew how to effectively use condoms, 35 (87%) agreed that not knowing about effectivecondom use had made them have live sex, 30 (75%) had ever had unsafe sex, 10 (25%)respondents said youth did not use condoms because they wanted to know how sex withouta condom felt, 8 (20%) who wanted to show love to their partners, 24 (60%) sometimes usedcondoms while having sex, 31 (77.5%) said cross generational sexual relationships weresometimes common in their area, 25 (62.5%) always felt shy to ask for condoms at theshop/hospital, 32 (80%) intended to use protection the next time they had sex, 34 (85%) hadnever been sensitized about the importance of using condoms. The study concluded thatalthough all the respondents were knowledgeable and had ever heard of safe sex practicesand correctly described the effective way of using condoms, all the respondents weresexually involved. The majority of respondents had a very early sexual debut and they havehad unprotected/live sex due to various reasons including curiosity and wanting to knowhow it felt like when having live sex, peer pressure or wanting be like their friends, nonavailabilityof condoms among many other factors. The majority of respondents had everhad unsafe sex. The key recommendations included adequate nationwide sensitizationprograms on the dangers of unsafe sex as well as what they could do to ensure safe sex,offering adolescent friendly sexual and reproductive health services, ensuring thatprotective gears such as condoms were provided free of charge to youth and adequatesensitization about the importance of practicing safe sex practices.