Original article - Ethiopian Review

major dependent variables. All data were collected using trained twelfth grade data collectors andnurse supervisors.Data were then analyzed using the EPI-INFO (30) and SAS programmes.ResultsA total of 755 (89%) students, 910 (91%) parents and 232 (92%) teachers participated in thestudy. The mean age of the students was 14.74 years (SD 5.13). The youngest participant was 12years old and the oldest was 23 years. Almost an equal number of boys and girls participated inthe study, 359 (47.5%) and 372 (49.3%), respectively. Christianity was the predominant religion(85.9%). Most of the students were Amhara (56.4%). Twenty eight percent of the students wereninth graders, 24.6% tenth graders 25.7% eleventh graders, and 20.1% twelfth graders.Regarding the parents, the mean age of the participants was 42.25 years (SD 10.88). Theyoungest respondent was 20 years and the oldest 104 years. Five hundred forty three (59.7%) ofthe parents were females. Eighty five percent were Christians and 51.1% were Amahara. Seventytwo percent of the parents were married. Fifteen percent were illiterate.The mean age of the teachers who participated in the study was 37.4 years (SD 10.7). Theyoungest participant was 23 and the oldest 58 years old. One hundred ninety six (84.5%) of therespondents were males and 33 (14.2%) were females. Here also, Christianity was thepredominant religion accounting for 90.1%. Fifty two percent of the teachers were Amharawhereas 64.7% of the teachers were married (Table 1).Out of the 755 students respondent, 148 (19.5%) admitted to having had a coital experience atleast once prior to this study, of which 124 (83.8%) were boys 20 (13.5%) were girls, accountingfor 39.8% of the boys and 5.6% of the girls. The earliest reported age of onset of sexualintercourse for girls was fourteen years with mean age of onset being 15.30 years (SD 5.39). Theearliest age of commencement of sexual activity for the boys was twelve years with mean age ofonset being 16.45 years (SD 4.02).Peer pressure was the frequently reported factor that led to the first sexual encounter, accountingfor 35.2% of the sexually active respondents, followed by being forced (21.6%), alcohol (11.5%)and drugs (10.3%). Twenty seven percent admitted that they first performed sex in hotels,followed by partners’ house 20.2%, and own house 20.2%. Hotels are also the most frequentplaces where the sexually active students had sex after the first sexual encounter, accounting for29.1% of the responses.Table 1: Social and demographic characteristics of students, parents and teachers who participated in the survey (Addis Ababa,December, 1993)Socio-demographiccharacteristicsStudentsNo. (%)(n=755)ParentsNo. (%)(n=910)TeachersNo. (%)(n=230)* Age10 - 12 2 (0.3)- -13 - 14 74 (0.8)- -15 - 16 280 (37.1)- -17 - 18 279 (37.0)- -19 - 20 42 (5.5)- -no response 76 (10.1)- -20 - 30-119 (13.1) 15 (6.5)31 - 40-354 (38.9) 115 (49.6)41 - 50-282 (31.0) 80 (34.5)51 - 70-143 (15.7) 10 (4.3)71 - 90-11 (1.2) ->90-1 (0.1) -no response119 (13.1) 12 (5.1)-* Sexmales 359 (47.5) 367 (40.3) 96 (84.5)females 372 (49.3) 543 (59.7) 33 (14.2)no response 24 (3.2( - 3 (1.3)* ReligionOrtodox Christian 629 (83.3) 780 (85.7) 192 (82.7)Muslim 52 (6.9) 70 (7.7) 12 (5.2(Protestant 45 (6.1) 26 (2.9) 14 (6.0)