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Institutional Differences in Sexual Disposition and HIV-Risk Behaviours among Tertiary and Secondary School Students in Bayelsa State, Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis
Subject area: Biological & Medical Sciences · Area of research: Public Health Pharmacy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1719712
Abstract
Background: Sexual disposition and HIV-risk behaviours among students may vary meaningfully by institutional context, yet Nigerian studies rarely compare federal tertiary institutions with state-owned secondary schools within the same locality. Objective: This study compared social activities, sexual attitude and perception, and sexual risk practices among students of two tertiary institutions (Niger Delta University [NDU] and Federal University, Otueke [FUO]) and two secondary schools (Otuasega and Belary) in Bayelsa State, and tested whether institution significantly predicted these outcomes. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used with 357 students selected by stratified and convenience sampling. Data were analysed using regression, Pearson chi-square, and t-tests (SPSS version 23), comparing outcomes across the four institutions and by age and sex within each institution. Results: Institution was not a significant overall predictor of social activity (p = .431) or of sexual risk practice (p = 1.000; Exp(B) = .000) when modelled with other demographic variables. However, item-level comparisons revealed significant institutional differences: NDU students reported higher odds of bisexual activity, oral sex, and social-media sexual pressure; FUO and Belary students reported higher engagement in sexual intercourse and social/emotional sexual activity by age; and Belary students alone reported significantly higher practice of drug use, high-risk partnering, and anal sex. Conclusion: While institution does not predict overall sexual risk status in this population, specific high-risk behaviours cluster differently across federal tertiary and state secondary institutions, indicating that a uniform, non-institution-specific HIV prevention approach may miss behaviour specific risk clusters. Conclusion: Institution-tailored, behaviour-specific HIV prevention interventions are recommended over a one-size-fits-all approach.
Keywords
Institutional Comparison, Sexual Disposition, HIV Risk, Hypothesis Testing, Students, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
How to cite this paper
@article{1719712,
author = {Ibegi, Ibegi Saviour, Henry, Messiah TMT, Timi, Fiekumo Buseri, Olodiama, Providencia Chichi, Peter, Agala Owonaro; Oyinbrakemi Okporu},
title = {Institutional Differences in Sexual Disposition and HIV-Risk Behaviours among Tertiary and Secondary School Students in Bayelsa State, Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {1},
pages = {1184-1187},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1719712.pdf},
abstract = {Background: Sexual disposition and HIV-risk behaviours among students may vary meaningfully by institutional context, yet Nigerian studies rarely compare federal tertiary institutions with state-owned secondary schools within the same locality. Objective: This study compared social activities, sexual attitude and perception, and sexual risk practices among students of two tertiary institutions (Niger Delta University [NDU] and Federal University, Otueke [FUO]) and two secondary schools (Otuasega and Belary) in Bayelsa State, and tested whether institution significantly predicted these outcomes. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used with 357 students selected by stratified and convenience sampling. Data were analysed using regression, Pearson chi-square, and t-tests (SPSS version 23), comparing outcomes across the four institutions and by age and sex within each institution. Results: Institution was not a significant overall predictor of social activity (p = .431) or of sexual risk practice (p = 1.000; Exp(B) = .000) when modelled with other demographic variables. However, item-level comparisons revealed significant institutional differences: NDU students reported higher odds of bisexual activity, oral sex, and social-media sexual pressure; FUO and Belary students reported higher engagement in sexual intercourse and social/emotional sexual activity by age; and Belary students alone reported significantly higher practice of drug use, high-risk partnering, and anal sex. Conclusion: While institution does not predict overall sexual risk status in this population, specific high-risk behaviours cluster differently across federal tertiary and state secondary institutions, indicating that a uniform, non-institution-specific HIV prevention approach may miss behaviour specific risk clusters. Conclusion: Institution-tailored, behaviour-specific HIV prevention interventions are recommended over a one-size-fits-all approach.},
keywords = {Institutional Comparison, Sexual Disposition, HIV Risk, Hypothesis Testing, Students, Bayelsa State, Nigeria},
month = {July},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1719712}
}