FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SEXUAL IDENTITY AND PREFERENCE AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS IN A SOUTHERN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Sexual orientation is a multifaceted and multidimensional concept that researchers and practitioners define differently based on its theoretical and practical deliberations. This study examined the determinants of sexual identity and preferences of female students in a Tertiary Institution in Southern Nigeria. This is an analytical cross-sectional study which was conducted among 423 female students in University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Extracted data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive statistics were used to show the characteristics of the women and multivariate logistic regression was used to examine determinants of sexual preference and sexual identity. Statistical significance was set at 5%. The age of the respondents was 21.4 ± 2.6 years. Approximately 53.0% (n = 224) of the participants have had sexual intercourse, with the mean SD age of sexual debut being 18.3 ± 2.3 years. Majority 309 (73.1%) of the respondents’ sexual preference was vaginal, while only 18.2% and 8.7% preferred oral and anal sex respectively. Approximately 92.0% (n = 389) of the respondents were into heterosexual sex; 4.2% were bisexual (n = 18), and 3.8% (n = 16) were homosexuals. Significant predictors of sexual identity and preference were age, parents’ marital status and guardian of the respondents. Though, most respondents preferred vaginal sexual intercourse and majority were heterosexual, there are still considerable number of bisexuals and homosexuals, and those who preferred both oral and anal sex. There is need for young people to be aware of their sexuality, especially among female students in the university where the study was conducted.