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Early sexual initiation refers to engaging in sexual activity at a young age, typically before the age of Even though many studies have been conducted in Ethiopia, the result is inconsistent between studies. In the study area, the pooled prevalence and associated factors of early initiation of sexual intercourse among youth were not done before. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence and associated factors of early initiation of sexual intercourse among Youth in Ethiopia.
This study used a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies conducted from to , in Ethiopia. Pooled analysis was conducted using the inverse-variance fixed-effects model. A total of 10 articles were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of early initiation of sexual intercourse among youth in Ethiopia was The pooled prevalence of early initiation of sexual intercourse among Youth in Ethiopia was high.
It is recommended that targeted interventions be put in place to address the high prevalence of early initiation of sexual intercourse among youth in Ethiopia. It is important that these interventions are gender-sensitive and take into consideration the unique challenges faced by females in accessing sexual and reproductive health services. Early sexual initiation refers to engaging in sexual activity at a young age, typically before the age of 18 [ 1 ].
Early initiation of sexual intercourse is a risk factor for teenage pregnancy and contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections STIs [ 2 β 4 ]. Individuals who engage in sexual activity at a young age tend to have an increased likelihood of engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors such as having multiple partners and a reduced likelihood of using condoms. Globally, the high prevalence of teenage pregnancies among young age girls in particular is a major public health concern for the majority of parents, guardians, and duty-bearers [ 6 , 7 ].
