Nwamaka Agbe Elom^*, Deborah Nnebuife Alegu^** and Njoku Patrick Ogbodo^***

^*Dept. of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Ebonyi State University,

Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

^**David Umahi University of Health Science Uburu, Ebonyi State

^***Ebonyi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Abakaliki,

Abstract

Risky sexual behaviour could predispose one to several health problems.  Therefore, this study focused on risky sexual behaviour among secondary school students in Ebonyi North senatorial zone of Ebonyi State. The study was guided by four research questions and three hypotheses. The study adopted descriptive survey research design.   The population of this study was 13,166 and 395 participated in the study. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select the participants. Self- structured questionnaire titled: Risky Sexual Practices Questionnaire (RSPQ) (r=0.92) was used as instrument for data collection.  Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test. Results showed that secondary school students in Ebonyi North senatorial zone of Ebonyi State had high risky sexual behaviour (2.91±0.41). Male (2.90±0.42), female (2.92±0.40), age 10-14years (2.86±0.37), 15years and above (2.95±0.44), JSS 1-2 (2.91±0.42) and SS 1- 2 students (2.91±0.40) had high risky sexual behaviour. There was  no significant  gender differences in the risky  sexual behaviour among secondary school students in Ebonyi North senatorial zone of Ebonyi State    (t-val = 0.504, P = 0.615) and class level ( t-val = 0.922, P = 0.986). However, significant difference was found based on age (t-val =2.114, P=0.035).  The study concluded that the students had high risky behaviour. Therefore, the study recommended among others that school health educators should organize proper and continuous public enlightenment on healthy sexual behaviour for students.