Sexual behaviour of adolescents in a rural community in the Nothern-East of Congo/DRC

Introduction: It is important to understand a population the sexual behaviors if we want to measure the spread risks of sexually transmitted infections in order to identify the appropriate target and evaluate the prevention program. There is scarcity of research in this domain, especially in Africa, where sexuality is still seen as a taboo. The best knowledge of risks and youth sexual behavior is considered as a priority in public health, even though it can still to be difficult in these conditions. Adolescents being targets of sexually transmitted infections, this study aimed to describe sexual behaviors and practices of adolescents in rural areas the North Eastern D. R. Congo. Methods: A transversal survey study was conducted with adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in Nyankunde Health area in May 1999. That health area is made up with 7 quarters, having 9284 inhabitants living in 868 households. By a poll to two degrees, hundred and sixty-two adolescents have been selected in 260 households. A standardized questionnaire was admitted to the subjects of the study. In addition to the identification variables, questions related to the age of first sexual relations, the motive, the circumstances and the frequency to contract the sexual relations. Results: After analysis of the data, we arrived to the following results: “58, 02 % of the teenagers knew their first sexual relation experiences, In general, these relations have been contacted in the age group of 10 to 14 years, It is from 16 to 17 years that the majority of the boys knew their sexual intercourse whereas the girls know them a little later: between 18 and 1 years. The pleasure and the curiosity are the reasons that push the boys to do their first sexual relations, whereas money and the pleasure are the reasons of the first sexual intercourse of the girls. The sexual relations have been contracted between pupils, bachelors, on express invitation, in the room of the boy or his/her/its friend. The teenagers changed partner for 81, 7%. 54, 9% of teenagers had a frequency equal or superior to 2 sexual relations. The hold of this risk of frequency of sexual relations equal or superior to 2 was as well meaningful for the boys (80,5%) that for the girls (70%).