Sexually Transmitted Infections Risky Behaviors, Preventive Practices, and Utilization of Reproductive Health Services among Undergraduates in a Nigerian University

Background: Sexually transmitted infection (STI) is a significant health problem worldwide with increased new cases among young people. It contributes significantly to infertility, sudden illness, long-term impairment, and death. Therefore, it is essential to assess the preventive practice against STIs among young undergraduates. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted for the study and 345 students were randomly selected from five faculties in the University of Ibadan. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. SPSS was used for data analysis, and results were presented using frequency and percentage, while the hypotheses were tested using a chi-square test at a significant level of P< 0.05. Result: The respondents identified the use of sharp objects (87.6%), sharing of underwear (37.6%), and multiple sexual partners (94.2%) as risky behaviors. They also reported the use of condoms (39.6%), use of contraceptives (41.9%), and regular washing of hands (41.0%) as preventive practices against STIs. A total of 59.4% of the respondents are not aware of Reproductive Health Services (RHSs) available in the university and 68.1% of the respondents are not utilizing the available RHSs. There was no significant association between perception and preventive practices of STIs (p-value = 0.967). However, awareness of RHSs was significantly associated with the utilization of available reproductive health services (p-value = 0.004). Conclusion: The study concluded that there are poor preventive practices and poor utilization of available reproductive health services among young people. Also, the utilization of available RHSs is influenced by their awareness.