Mekonnen, Baze (PhD)Berihun, Helen2018-07-102023-11-062018-07-102023-11-062014-09http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/7582Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescent people as those between the ages of 10 to 19 years. These age groups are often characterized as being at a life stage of increased experimentation and exploration associated with a range of risky behaviors, including risky sexual behaviors. Moreover, adolescents are less likely than adults to have the information, skills and support to protect themselves against HIV/AI DS and other consequences of premarital sex. Objective: To assess the prevalence of premarital sex and unprotected sexual intercourse practice and associated factors among secondary school adolescent students in Sebeta Town, 2014. Methods and Materials: A questionnaire based cross sectional study design was used to conduct this study on 284 secondary school adolescent students in Sebeta Town from April to May 2014. The data was processed and analyzed by using Epi Info 3.4.3 and SPSS version 16.0. Frequency distribution, charts, figures and tables were used to present the results. Odd ratio and logistic regression were used to determine association between specified factors and to control cofounders respectively. Results: The prevalence of premarital sex among the study participants of this study was 28.3% and 90.1% of them were utilized condom during their sexual intercourse. The premarital sex was strongly associated with grade level and their family income. Grade ten students were 7.99 times high risk to be practiced premarital sex than others (AOR=7.99, CI= (2.2-28.5)) and grade eleven students were 7.81 times high risk to be involved in premarital sex than others grade level students (AOR= 7.81, CI= (2.4-25.4)). Students belong to family earned 500-1000 ETB were 2.47 times high risk to be experienced premarital sex than others students (AOR= 2.47, CI= (1.01-6.07)) Conclusion: The prevalence of premarital sex among the study participants was higher than the studies conducted in different parts of Ethiopia and almost all of the students who have had history of sexual practices utilized condom during their sexual intercourse. Premarital sex among the study participants of this study was strongly associated with students‘ grade level and family monthly income status. Recommendation: Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and schools in collaboration should provide psychosexual services for adolescent students at secondary school level. Key words: premarital sex, unprotected sex, adolescent students, Ethiopia.enPremarital sexUnprotected sexAdolescent studentsEthiopiaThesis