Risky Sexual Behaviors and Associated Factors Among College Students in Lusaka, Zambia

Risky sexual behaviors are important factors driving the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Although Zambia experiences a high HIV prevalence, especially among youth, there is a dearth of information regarding risky sexual behaviors among young adults. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and associated factors of risky sexual behaviors among college students in Lusaka, Zambia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2017 among 427 college students at the University of Zambia. Participants reported their sexual behaviors, sexual attitudes, and lifestyle using self-administered questionnaires. Multinomial logistic regression models were employed to assess potential determinants of risky sexual behaviors. Among the 205 students who reported ever having sex, 148 (72.2%) engaged in risky sexual behaviors in the last 12 months. Participants who were older (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.12–1.51), engaged in low physical activity (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.05–4.84), and reported liberal sexual attitudes (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.02–3.47) were more likely to engage in any risky sexual behavior, while frequent alcohol use (OR 8.38, 95% CI 4.60–15.27) and suicide attempts (OR 6.42, 95% CI 2.03–20.29) predicted multiple risky sexual behaviors. In conclusion, this study indicates that Zambian college students’ risky sexual behaviors are associated with multiple behavioral health risks. Future research should consider using a multiple-behavior change intervention.