Risky sexual behaviors (RSBs) are behaviors that can lead to unplanned pregnancies (UPs) and/or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS and other STIs. These behaviors include sex before marriage, having multiple sex partners, sex without condom, using unreliable methods of birth control, attending nightclub, having sex due to alcohol influence, and receiving or paying money for sex (1–3). Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) are more likely to engage in these behaviors as compared to boys with same age and adult women (4). RSBs constitute a global challenge in today’s society and they are associated with numerous risk factors.
Various factors including poverty, lack of education and employment opportunities are associated with RSBs especially in Low- and Middle-Income countries (LMICs). These factors are intense in LMICs where larger proportion of women still depend on men’s financial income. Similarly, Women in these countries engage in transactional sex for basic needs, luxury life, or as a means to express love to men(5). These make women more exposed to STIs than their male counterparts, especially among AGYW.
Globally, young people (15–35 years of age) are the most susceptible groups for RSB and account for an estimated 45% of new HIV infections(6). RSBs are exacerbated by low income, job insecurity, lack of awareness about sexual and reproductive health issues and harmful traditional practices(7).
Several studies reported risky sexual behaviors among youths in sub-Saharan Africa as most common despite well-known cultural norms. Youths in this region frequently engage in prenuptial sex, have multiple sexual partners, and sex without condom that result in unwanted pregnancies, STIs and HIV infections. RSB prevalence var An Ethiopian study (43.1%)(8). Similarly, a Tanzanian study reported that about 21.6% of school children had started sexual intercourse before age of 15 and bout 80% of the study participants started sex at the age of 18 years, in 2015 (9).
About 5.7% of the 6,050 AGYW had started sexual intercourse before the age 15. About 83.7% of the 448 AGs aged 15–19 years reported having sex with non-marital and non-cohabiting partner in the last 12 months with only 42.6 them using a condom while about 48.4% of 1,554 Young women aged 20–24 years reported reporting having extramarital sex in the last 12 months with 34.0% of them using condom(10). Sex before the age of 15 years, about 19% % at Moshi secondary school in Tanzania(11). About 47.7% of AGYW had multiple sexual partners at Moshi SS in Tanzania, more than 45% in Ethiopia(8).
An Ethiopian study reported a RSB prevalence of 43.1% (226) with Youth center attendants less likely to engage in RSB 101 (38.5%) as compared to non users of Youth center clinics 125 (47.7%), p-value = 0.04(8). Of the 524 study participants; 36.5% had started sex before of 18, 107 (%) had 2 and above sexual partners, 119 (%) had not used condom in the previous 12 months, 28 (%) had sex with a Commercial sex worker, 226 (%) had one or more RSB (8). Similarly, another Ethiopian study found that about 58% of the high school students aged between.
In Kenya, findings from Determined Resilient Empowered AIDS-free Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) project, revealed that of the 578 AGYW who reported to have done sex in the last 12 months, 74% had not used condom and all girls aged 15 years and below (n = 9) had not used condom. Factors associated with high RSB were being aged between 19–23 years old, cohabiting, out of school, and living alone with a friend as compared to living with parents(12).
PHIA projects have elucidated risky sexual behaviors at population level in various countries. Sex before the age of 15 was about 9.5% in Zambia(13), 6% in Rwanda (10), Lesotho, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Sex without condom in the recent extramarital sex was at 61.2% in Zambia (13), 51.7% in Rwanda(10), Lesotho, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Having multiple sexual partners (2+) among AGYW was at 10.0% in Rwanda (10).
Overall, RSBs explains why globally; about 42% of all new HIV infections are among AGYW with about 80% of them living in SSA, and 38% of all global pregnancies are unintended (8). Therefore, accurate knowledge of these behaviors in AGYW can help to use available health resources effectively and efficiently responding to HIV epidemic and UPs among this vulnerable population. This study aimed to identify RSBs and factors associated with them among AGYW in Rwanda using 2028/2019 Rwanda population-based HIV impact assessment data.