Influence of Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge on Risky Sexual Behaviour among Female Students Attending Teacher Training Colleges in Kenya

Abstract

This study's objective was to investigate the influence of sexual and reproductive health knowledge on risky sexual behaviour among female students in public teacher training colleges. Using ex post facto research design, data was collected through a personally delivered questionnaire from 350 female students in 13 public teachers’ training colleges in Kenya and subsequently analysed using simple regression statistic at 0.05 alpha level. The findings revealed a linear and statistically significant relationship (F=4.172; df= 1,345; P=.042) between sexual and reproductive health knowledge and risky sexual behaviour. The computed beta index (? = -.109) was negative, weak but statistically significant (t = 12.278; P = .042). This finding suggests that the selected domains of sexual and reproductive health knowledge had the capacity to predict risky sexual behaviour. The adjusted R2 value (R2 = .012) further revealed that Sexual and reproductive health knowledge could account for 1.2% of the variation in risky sexual behaviour among female students. These findings have important implications in regard to reducing incidences of risky sexual behaviour among female teacher trainees, specifically, stakeholders in teacher training colleges including, college administrators, counsellors, and curriculum developers. These should develop and adopt strategies suggested in this study to address the challenge of sexual risk-taking among female teacher trainees.