Sexual Behavior and Practices Among Adolescents with Disabilities in Southwest Nigeria

Adolescents with disability like other adolescents engage in sexual relationship to express their sexuality without adequate knowledge and skill to cope with the consequences of their actions. A Cross sectional study conducted among 140 adolescents with physical disabilities in four handicapped schools in Osun state South West, Nigeria had 56.4?% male and 43.6?% female respondents. Mean age is 16?years. Poor knowledge of sexuality issues such as: unprotected sex, teenage pregnancy, STIs/HIV/AIDS and contraceptive awareness were evident. Age of sexual debut is 15?years, 54.6?% had sexual intercourse, and commonest source of sexuality information is friend, while the most preferred source is parents who are ill-equipped to play their role as educators. 70.1?% had at least one boy/girlfriend and 29.9?% had multiple sexual partners at a time and engage in multiple sexual relationships. 12.8?% do not take any action to prevent pregnancy, those who do, use male condom. 24.6?% have been forced into sex by different categories of persons with different outcomes; teenage pregnancy, abortion and life birth. A few exchange sex for gifts from strangers. No access to HIV counseling and testing, hence treatment of HIV among this group is difficult and thus posing significant public health concern.