Parental Influence on the sexual behavior of high school adolescents in Mekelle City, Ethiopia, a mixed approach study

Background: Parental monitoring is generally defined as “the acquisition of knowledge about the activities, whereabouts, and companions of one’s son or daughter. A parent can directly and indirectly influence the sexual behavior of adolescent. The influence of perceived parental approval or disapproval with regard to sexual behaviors varies with the developmental status and socio culture of the community. Though, such topic was scarce on sub-Saharan Africa and in the study area as well. Objective: the objective of this study was to assess parents influence on the sexual behavior of high school adolescents in Mekelle city, Ethiopia. Result: among the participants156 (38.1 %) ever practiced sexual intercourse, of these 76 (48.7%) have had sex in three months presiding to the study. Adolescents with illiterate father had a slightly increased sexual risk (15.4%) compared to those with an illiterate mother (13.8%). Adolescents who had parental approval on their sexual engagement were 6.51 times higher to have risky sexual behavior as compared to those, whose sexual behavior was disapproved (AOR= 4.10, 95% CI: (3.48, 12.44) p: <0.001) Conclusion and recommendation: The study finding suggests that, parental disapproval on adolescents' sexual activity are protective factors which enhance a adolescent’s sexual behavior to be health; and parents should understand that, the lowest adolescents perceiving their parents control on their sexual is a higher risk sexual involvement will be resulted.