Effect Of Reproductive Health Education Intervention Programme on Risky Sexual Behaviours Among Undergraduate Female Students in North-West, Nigeria

Risky sexual behaviours among female undergraduate students in Nigerian universities pose significant threats to reproductive health outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, and academic disruption. Despite documented prevalence, experimental evidence evaluating interventions remains scarce in Nigeria’s North-West Zone. This study examined the effect of a reproductive health education intervention programme on risky sexual behaviours among female undergraduate students in federal universities in the North-West Zone, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was employed. One hundred female undergraduates were recruited from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (experimental group, n=50) and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (control group, n=50) through multistage sampling. The experimental group received a six-week reproductive health education programme, while the control group received a placebo intervention. Data were collected using a validated researcher-developed questionnaire (reliability index = 0.92) and analysed using paired-samples and independent-samples t-tests at a 0.05 significance level. The intervention produced a statistically significant reduction in risky sexual behaviours within the experimental group, with mean scores declining from 2.67 at pre-test to 1.67 at post-test (t(49) = 23.87, p < 0.001). Post-intervention comparison revealed significantly lower risky sexual behaviour scores in the experimental group relative to the control group (M = 1.67 vs. 2.32; t(98) = 25.74, p < 0.001). Reproductive health education interventions significantly reduce risky sexual behaviours among female undergraduates. University administrations and policymakers should institutionalize such programmes within tertiary institutions to promote safer sexual practices.