Abstract:
ABSTRACT
University students constitute a high risk group for HIV infection. This is hugely contributed by their youthful age and lack of strict regulations in institutions of higher learning leading to students engaging in reckless sexual relationships. According to data from National Aids Control council, the most vulnerable age brackets to contract HIV are 18 to 25 years and that the virus is spreading at an a alarming rate among his age bracket. The overall aim of this study was to investigate the sexual behaviour of the Maasai Mara university students in the era of HIV/Aids. The specific objectives of this study were as follows: To establish self-risk perception by the Maasai Mara university student community with regard to HIV/Aids infection, To determine the level of vulnerability/exposure to HIV infection among the Maasai Mara university students and To determine the actions taken by the students to protect themselves from contracting HIV of Maasai Mara university students because of HIV/Aids prevalence. The study was conducted among Maasai Mara university undergraduate students in May 2017. Only primary data was collected using quantitative method. quantitative data was collected from the students. The quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and presented in form of frequency tables, percentages and cross tabulations. The data was interpreted and report written. The qualitative data was merged and then summarized then used in the report as complementary notes for the quantitative data. The study has found out that the University students take the issue of HIV/Aids seriously. Many know that they are at risk of being infected and have taken precautionary measures such as abstaining, use of condoms and going for HIV test. Many are avoiding circumstances that predispose them to HIV infection such as drug use, alcohol, clubs and commercial sex. Nonetheless, it was found that there are still a number of students have not taken any prevention measures. Some students have many sexual partners, engage in commercial sex, do not use condoms consistently, take alcohol/drugs before sexual intercourse, go to clubs and have never been tested for HIV. This is a group that is in danger of infection. Take consistent condom use for example, just 39.1% of the students practise this, meaning that about 60% of the students are at risk of contracting HIV. Only 20% have had an HIV test in the last three months, literally then 80% of the students do not know their status.
