The Role of Gender, Age and Religion in Explaining the Variations in Selected Sexual Experiences of University Teacher-Trainees in Uganda and Tanzania

After a realisation that there are scanty studies conducted on university teachers trainees’ sexual experiences and how these experiences are shaped by gender, age and religion, this study set out to conduct survey on final/third year university teacher-trainees in two selected teacher training university colleges, one in Uganda and another in Tanzania, with the purpose of examining the role of gender, age and religion in explaining the variations in age of first sexual experience and number of both past and current sexual partners among the university teacher-trainees. The purely quantitative study was conducted on a population of 557 teacher-trainees who were selected that the students studied were drawn from a sample taken from a population using systematic random sampling. The teacher-trainees were final/third year students at both Makerere University’s College Original Research Article Kobusingye and Kibanja; JESBS, 33(11): 15-24, 2020; Article no.JESBS.62492 16 of Education and External Studies (MUK) and University of Dar es Salaam’s Constituent College of Education known as Dar es Salaam University College of Education (UDSM). The observed scores and resultant variations revealed that the variation in age of first sexual experience among male and female and male teacher trainees was non-significant while the variation in number of both past and current sexual partners among the two genders was significant. The variation in age of first sexual experience among the age groups was significant while the variation in number of both past and current sexual partners among the existing age groups was non-significant. The variation in age of first sexual experience, number of past and current sexual partners among the existing religions was non-significant all through. Basing on these findings therefore, it is recommended that sex education and policies be introduced in high institutions of learning while stressing education on contraception and messages about sex. Religious leaders too should participate in teaching against behaviours that lead to consequences of early sex debut and existence of concurrent multiple sexual partners among young people.


INTRODUCTION
One of the justifications for studying sex debut or first sexual experience among young people is that the age group is susceptible to its negative consequences. This sex debut is influenced by factors that include, but are not limited to gender, age and religious differences. According to research conducted by Muchiri and Odimegwu [1], male debut into sex is much earlier than female debut, that is about 16.8 years compared to 18.1 years for males and females respectively.
Sex debut among emerging adults is one of the indicators of the transition into typical adulthood Lammers, Ireland, Resnick & Blum, [2]; Baumgartner, WaszakGeary, Tucker & Wedderburn, [3]. Early sex debut is that which takes place before the age of 15 years, and which may lead to unintended pregnancies and possible infection with HIV and several other sexually transmitted infections/diseases-STIs/STDs Bearinger, Sieving, Ferguson &Sharma, [4]; Makenzius & Larsson, [5]. Since the past years worldwide, the age of sex debut keeps evolving in a reducing trend and increasing in terms of prevalence UNAIDS, [6]. Most of the emerging adults are those in higher institutions of learning such as universities whose educational completion rate is adversely and negatively influenced by the early sex debut, which in the long run affects their projected future academic achievement and economic empowerment Panday, Makiwane, Richod & Letsoalo, [7]; Marteleto, Lam & Ranchhod, [8]. It should not be forgotten that obviously, early sex debut has mortality implications due to difficulties associated with early childbirth Clack, [9]; Zheng & Anderson, [10]; Gupta & Mahy, [11]. In most countries in the less developed world such as Uganda and Tanzania, male sexual debut happens earlier than that of females Upchurch & Levy-Storms, [12] and this could be attributed to the former's low perception of HIV infection Fatusi & Blum, [13]; Lee, Chen, Lee & Kaur, [14]. Gender is also perceived as a social condition in the age of first sexual experience Patricia, Melissa, Marion, Kathleen, Jeffrey, Vetta, Linda & Laura, [15]. Initiation into sex is a normal human developmental milestone and about 70 percent of students have had sexual debut by 18 years of age Eaton, Kann & Kinchen, [16]; Carver, Joyner & Udry, [17]; Grunbaum, Kann & Kinchen, [18] and this usually has social determinants such as culture, gender, age and religion.
One of the main reasons why age of sexual debut is vital is because of its impact on future issues in reproductive health especially in matters to do with HIV and other STIs Gomez, Speizer & Reynolds, [19]. Females who start sexual activity earlier are most probably capable of engaging in highly risky sexual behaviours in future which might result into unwanted pregnancies, STDs and HIV Eaton, Kann & Kinchen, [16]; Carver, Joyner & Udry, [17]; Grunbaum, Kann & Kinchen, [18]. It is however not known how the age of sexual debut in males influences their partnering patterns but it could partly be because of the fact that it influences the satisfaction derived from the intimate relationships Harden, Quinn & Tucker-Drob, [20], safe attachments (Belsky, Houts & Fearon, 2010) and regulation of self Moffitt, Arseneault & Caspi, [21]. Gender has been identified as one of the major correlates of sexual initiation Asante, Nketiah-Amponsah, Andor-Arthur, Boafor & Amponsah, [22] and is one of the factors responsible for the high prevalence of HIV among young people Matson, Beguy & Kabiru, [23] since those that debut sexual activity at a very young age are more likely to have several sexual partners at the same time, engage in commercial sex and consequently catch HIV, among other STDs Matson, Beguy & Kabiru, [23]; Onsomu, Duren-Winfield & Harwell, [24]. Early sex debut impacts on school outcomes and a rise in unintended pregnancies Peltzer, [25]. The link between gender and sexual debut is varied, from one geographical location to another, since in some, females start it earlier than males Ningpuanyeh & Susuman, [26] while in other places, male sexual debut is earlier than female sexual debut.
One of the ways in which religion influences sexual debut is through the religious teachings on sex and sexual behaviour (Verona, 2011). Religion influences morals (Odimegwu, 2005) but this would be a subject of how committed one is to their religion rather than mere religious belonging. Young people that are committed to their religion are more likely to have a later debut of sexual activity Rostosky, Regnerus & Wright, [27]. Religion acts as a ''gate keeper" to the onset of sexual activity Meier, [28]; Rostosky, Wilcox, Comer Wright & Randall, [27]. Sexual debut is influenced by gender, culture and religion (Rostosky, Wilcox, Comer Wright & Randall, [27]; de Visser, Smith, Richters & Rissel, [29]; Coleman & Testa, [30] but in particular, the religious influence is mediated by factors such as church attendance and how an individual values his or her religion (Odimegwu, 2005).
In most past researches, it is reported that males possess more sexual partners than females and this is common in those investigations that have adopted self-report as a method of investigation of sexual behaviours (Mitcell, Mercer, Pra, Clifton, Tanton, Welling & Copas, [31]. According to Mercer, Tanton, Prah, Erens, Sonnenberg, Clifton and Johnson [32], males possess almost twice as many sexual partners than females but this could be excluding circumstances such as female prostitution Brewer, Potterat, Garret, Muth, Roberst, Kasprzyk & Darrowi, [33] and naturally, men prefer to overestimate the number of sexual partners while this is the opposite with females Mitcehll et al., [31]. Several studies have also shown interest in ascertaining the variation in number of sexual partners among college students, for example, Fenigstein and Preston [34] while researchers such as Romero-Estudillo, Gonzalez-Jemenez and Mesa-Franco [35] who also argue that there are variations in highly risky behaviours among young and emerging adults. It can be said without fear and doubt that the existence of multiple sexual partners who exist concurrently is a predisposing factor for STIs since the practice increases the probability of possible infection Ashenhurst, Wilhite & Fromme, [36], which is the more reason why emerging adults are vulnerable to STIs than any other age cohort (CDC, 2014b [39] and this positive conservativeness stretches to Muslims and Hindu Finke & Adamczyk, [40] through their ridicule of pre-marital sex Addai, [41]; Agha, [42]. Hence any variation in age of sex debut, number of past and current sexual partners could be a subject of the gender, age and religion of the university teachertrainees.
The gaps that exist in the several past researches seem to indicate that as much as issues of sexual debut and number of sexual partners among young people such as those in universities have been investigated, they have not given ample attention to teacher trainees and this could be because they are an ignored batch of the population, yet they play an instrumental role in shaping the sexual behaviours of the young pupils and students in their custodianship during their teaching practice and hence if they are to propagate healthy sexual behaviours among their learners, they need to possess and practice these healthy sexual behaviours themselves. It should also be noted that whereas some studies have been conducted on university students regarding selected sexual behaviours such as sexual debut and number of sexual partners, there is very scanty research in this area on university students in East Africa, specifically Uganda and Tanzania. Worth noting too is the fact that studies that exist on these specific sexual experiences have rarely attributed them to the demographics of gender, age and religion, hence the necessity of this investigation. Based on the theory of planned behaviour Ajzen, [43,44], sexual behaviours, like most other behaviours are influenced by gender, age and religion mainly because these demographic traits in turn influence young people's attitudes, personal beliefs, norms in society, power, behaviour plans and control of behaviour.
Therefore, as much as the age at which university teacher-trainees are at is of emerging or young adults, sexual discovery and sexual freedoms have seen a bigger percentage of them transition themselves into sexual debut and possession of multiple sexual partners. This has affected not only their health but also their educational and academic progress, especially in terms of contacting sexually transmitted diseases, falling victim of early pregnancies and failing to complete their education through either dropping out of school or delaying to complete studies. This is a novel and necessary research since most studies in the past do not acknowledge the role of sex debut and number of sexual partners as contributing factors towards low academic performance, school dropout, and high mortality due to STIs among university students. Pre-service teachers have not been given the attention they need in sexual behaviour investigations yet they are the future in-charges of the sexual behaviours of the learners under their care, firstly as role models and secondly as messengers of sexual behaviour messages during both the formal and informal teaching.

General Objective
The purpose of the study was to analyse the role of gender, age and religion in the variations in age of first sexual experience, number of past sexual partners and number of current sexual partners among University Teacher-Trainees.

METHODOLOGY
The study was a variation-based quantitative study which was cross sectional and survey in nature. The university teacher trainees were studied at the same time and in large numbers, that is, 557 in number from the two universities. The respondents who were teacher trainees were selected using systematic random sampling for fair and equal representation of teacher trainees in universities in general. The teacher trainees were both male and female, belonged to different religions. Hence, purposive sampling was used to select the year of study of the respondents because it had an appealing effect to the study Lavrakas, [45] but systematic random sampling was used to select the actual respondents Burns, [46]. Data was collected using questionnaires investigating age of first sexual experience, number of past sexual partners and number of current sexual partners. The data was analysed using variation-based methods such as a t-test (objective 1) and Analysis of Variance-ANOVA (objectives 2 and 3).

RESULTS
Objective One: Variation in age of first sexual experience, number of past sexual partners and number of current sexual partners between males and females.
A t-test attempted to establish the variation in age of first sexual experience, number of past sexual partners and number of current sexual partners between the two genders, as shown on Table1.
The male respondents in both universities had their maiden sexual encounter earlier than their female counterparts. At UDSM, the average age at which males had their first sexual encounter was 19.3 years while the average age for females was 19.5 years. The variation between males and females on age of first sexual encounter at UDSM was not statistically significant (p value of 0.540 which is greater than 0.05). At MUK, the mean age for males' first sexual encounter was 17.8 years while that of females was 18.9 years. The differences in the means were significant at (0.004 which is less than 0.05) which means that at this university, age at first sexual encounter is significantly dependent on a student's gender. On the whole, although males had their first sexual encounter earlier than the females, the variation in age of first sexual experience between the males and females in both universities was not statistically significant (0.112 which is greater than 0.05) which implies that both males and females on average had their first sexual experience almost at the same time.
The observed scores indicate that male teacher trainees have on average had significantly (p is less than 0.05) more past sexual partners than the females. From the table, male teachertrainees at both UDSM and MUK have had four (4) sexual partners in their life time while the average for females fluctuates between 2.4 and 2.7 sexual partners. In total, the variation in number of past sexual partners between males and females in both universities is at a probability value of 0.000*** which is a significant variation.
Regarding the number of current sexual partners, the males and females also differed significantly at university level and total variation in number of current sexual partners between the two genders in both universities. At UDSM, the males reported to currently have an average of 1.4 sexual partners while the females reported to have only 1.2 sexual partners, meaning that the males have more sexual partners than the females. At MUK, still the males had a higher number of current sexual partners on average (males with 1.7 partners and females with 1.2 partners). On the whole therefore, the male teacher trainees in both university colleges were discovered to own more sexual partners than the females currently. The total variation in number of current sexual partners between the males and females in both universities was significant (p value of 0.001***).

Objective Two: Variation in age of first sexual encounter, number of past sexual past partners and number of current sexual partners between age cohorts
The other variation that was explored was the one in age of age of first sexual experience, number of sexual past partners and number of current sexual partners between the three age groups and by using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the results of the variation are shown on Table 2. shows that age of first experience at this university is significantly dependent on the current age bracket of the teacher trainees. At MUK however, age cohort is not a significant factor in explaining the age for first sexual experience (0.489 which is greater than 0.05) which means that teacher trainees at this university had their first sexual debut almost at the same age. However, the variation in age of first sexual experience among the age groups in both universities was statistically significant as given by the probability value of 0.001***.
Regarding the number of past sexual partners, the study found out that the age of the teacher trainees has nothing to do with the number of sexual partners one has had. This assertion is made in view of the fact that all p values were insignificant at all levels, that is, 1 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent, that is, 0.930 for UDSM and 0.164 for MUK. Despite the statistical insignificance, the study noted that the UDUSM teacher trainees have had more sexual partners in their life time than those at MUK. Total p value was 0.570, which is indicative of a non significant variation.
On number of current sexual partners, the variation at MUK was statistically significant (p value of 0.016** which is less than 0.05) among the two age groups, compared to the non significant variation at the UDSM across the three age groups (p value of 0.558 which is greater than 0.05). The total variation in number of current sexual partners across the different age groups was not significant (p value of 0.436 which is greater than 0.05). This implies that the age cohort was generally not a significant factor in explaining the current number of sexual partners in both universities.

Objective Three: Variation in age of first sexual experience, Number of past sexual partners and Number of current sexual partners between the Religions.
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) also attempted to establish the variation age at first sex experience, number of past sexual partners and number of current sexual partners between religions, as shown in Table 3.
From the above table, the mean scores indicate that in terms of religion, there is no significant variation (p values of 0.710 for UDSM and 0.322 for MUK are greater than 0.05) in age of first sexual experience/encounter between the different religions, both at individual university level and when the two universities are combined. At UDSM, the average age of first sexual encounter was 19.3 years across the four categories of religions. It is worth noting that although the Protestants at this university seemed to have began sexual activity at a younger age than the respondents from the other three categories of religions, that is, 19.1 years, the difference between these ages of sexual debuts was not all that significant. At MUK on the other hand, the teacher trainees in the ''other'' category began their sexual activity earlier than the teacher trainees in the remaining three categories of religions, that is, at 17.4 years. On the whole, the variation in age of first sexual encounter between religions remains statistically insignificant as shown by the probability value of 0.696 which is greater than 0.05. Therefore, the religious affiliation of the respondent did not have a significant contribution towards the age of first sexual encounter.
Similarly, the variation in number of past sexual partners between the religions at both UDSM and MUK was also not statistically significant as indicated by the probability values of 0.384 and 0.460 for UDSM and MUK respectively. At UDSM, the Catholics seemed to have had more sexual partners in the past than the rest, that is, 3.8 partners compared to 3.5 partners, 3.0 partners, 3.0 partners for the Protestants, Moslems and Other religious affiliations. At MUK, the ''other'' religions had the highest number of sexual partners in the past, that is, 3.9 partners. On average, it was discovered that the teacher trainees at UDSM had had more sexual partners in the past, that is, 3.5 partners compared to those of MUK, that is, 3.3 partners. Even at both universities, religion did not show a significant (0.354 which is greater than 0.05) variation in number of past sexual partners the respondents had had. It should also be noted that regarding the current number of sexual partners, statistically significant variations (0.089 which is less than 0.1) existed at UDSM between religion and number of current sexual partners, while at MUK, the variation was not statistically significant (p value of 0.471 which is greater than 0.05). However, on the whole, the variation was not statistically significant at both universities (p value of 0.263 which is greater than 0.1) for both universities. Currently, the average total number of sexual partners now at the UDSM was 1.3 partners while at MUK it was 1.4 partners, implying that the teacher trainees at MUK had more sexual partners than their colleagues at UDSM currently.

DISCUSSION
The study, based on the theory of planned behaviour, generally hypothesised that there would be a significant variation in age of first sexual experience, number of past sexual partners and number of current sexual partners among the university teacher-trainees' genders, age cohorts and religious denominations. However, the findings revealed that the variation in age of first sexual experience between males and females is non-significant while the variation in number of both past and current sexual partners between the two genders was significant. In conclusion, whereas gender is not a significant factor in influencing the age of first sexual experience, it is significant in influencing the number of both past and current sexual partners. These findings are in line with what Muchiri and Odimegwu [1] and Upchurch and Levy-Storms [12] who show a clear distinction between sexual experiences among males and females. But these findings may be opposed by other researchers such as Harden et al., [20] who argue that these gender determinants are not as naked as they seem when they influence sexual behaviour, since they are mediated by factors such as age and the amount of satisfaction derived from such unions, which are usually ignored.
In regard to age's influence on the variation in age of first sexual experience, it is seen from the findings that age has a significant influence on age of sex debut. However, it was discovered that it didn't have a significant influence on the number of both past and current sexual partners. Such findings rhyme with those from researches conducted in the past by Gomez et al., [19] who argue that age is important in several sexual experiences because it projects behaviours that are important in reproductive health. Matson et al., [23] and Onsomu et al., [24] also tend to argue that the earlier young people debut sexual activity, the more sexual partners they are likely to possess in their lifetime, something that might put them in danger of contracting STIs. In conclusion therefore, age has a significant effect on age of sex debut while its effect on the variation in number of both past and current sexual partners is non-significant.
It was also discovered that religion, as much as it is believed to have an impact on sexual experiences, for this particular study and study respondents, it did not seem to have any significant impact on the variation in age of first sexual experience, and number of past and current sexual partners. Most researches tend to indicate that religion is a significant factor in the selected sexual experiences that young people go through, like, Verona, (2011) and Odimegwu (2005) through the differing teachings that they impart on their young followers since religion and its teachings advocate for the delay of sex debut and monogamy Meier, [28]; Rostosky et al., [47].
The findings seem to show that although religion may influence sex debut and number of sexual partners, its effect on these sexual experiences is not statistically significant and this may be caused by the gap between teaching and the practicality of these teachings. Conclusively therefore, religion is not a significant factor in influencing the selected sexual experiences.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDA-TIONS
In conclusion therefore, from the findings, it can be asserted that whereas gender has a significant role in influencing the number of sexual partners, its role in determining the age of first sexual experience is non-significant. The role of age in determining the age first sexual experience is significant but this strength of significance is not observed in as far as number of both past and current sexual partners is concerned. Religion on the whole did not seem to have any significant effect on age of first sexual experience, number of past sexual partners and number of current sexual partners.
Basing on the findings and conclusions, it is recommended that universities, especially faculties training future teachers who are the role models of behaviours among their prospective pupils and students under their tutorage, such as sexual behaviours, invest in training students about sex, sex behaviours and their consequences. Universities and other relevant partners need to have sex policies, such as prohibition of premarital sex through installing discipline rules that lead to the punishment of pregnancies while still in school, to curb these events and their negative implications in the long run. This study could also be an eye opener that sex debut studies need to look into issues of gender and age since they have been found to significantly influence the variation in several sexual experiences. There is also need for education on and provision of contraception and safe sex facilities such as condoms for university students to avert the adverse effects of early sex debut and possession of concurrent multiple sexual partners. It is also important that messages about sex in tertiary learning institutions such as universities target known and familiar attitudes and most importantly, behaviour change, while religious leaders at universities and in the general locations must endeavour to be active in passing on messages that lead to responsible sexual behaviours among the young people.

CONSENT
The respondents granted informed consent after they were briefed about the study and its purpose and benefit. Were purposively selected from year three as long as they granted informed consent to participate in the study. They were assured of confidentiality and didn't not need to reveal their identity on the questionnaires.

ETHICAL APPROVAL
As per international standard or university standard, written ethical approval has been collected and preserved by the author(s).