INFLUENCE OF INTERNET USE ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR OF YOUNG PERSONS IN IBADAN NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OYO STATE, NIGERIA

This descriptive study investigated the influence of internet use on the sexual behaviour of 413 young persons aged 10-24 years selected from households in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Nigeria. Mean age of males was 21.7 + 3.4 years while that of females was 20.9 + 3.2 years. Main source of information about the internet was friends (63.3%) and 99.3% accessed the internet from cybercafé. Sending and receiving mails (55.0%) and online chatting (34.1%) were main activities involved in. Seventy-two percent had ever stumbled on pornographic sites and reactions to the scenes included closure of the sites (females, 57.5%; males, 38.7%), glancing through before closing (females, 30.1%; males, 46.7%) and minimizing page to view later (females, 12.3%; males, 13.6%). Post-exposure influence on behaviour were desire to know more about sexual activities (45.0%) and an urge to have sex (31.7%). Twenty-seven percent of daily internet users who had ever watched pornography sites had practiced what was viewed. More males than females (95% CI OR =1.245-6.465) were likely to report a change in sexual behaviour. There is a need for interventions aimed at reducing exposure to sexual content on internet targeting young persons especially the males and cybercafé operators.