STUDY PROTOCOL article
Front. Reprod. Health
Sec. Adolescent Reproductive Health and Well-being
Exploring Prevalence of Risky Sexual Behavior among Adolescents in Selected High Schools of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: A Mixed-Method Study protocol
Provisionally accepted
Refiloi Ndlovu
Perez Livias Moyo*- National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
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Introduction: Risky sexual behaviour (RSB) among adolescents in Zimbabwe is a major public health issue, contributing to high rates of HIV, STIs, and unintended pregnancies. Interventions have been ineffective, especially in urban areas like Bulawayo, where "Vuzu parties" worsen the situation. This study aims to assess the prevalence of RSB among high school students in Bulawayo, identify influencing factors, evaluate awareness of sexual health issues, and examine the accessibility and effectiveness of sexual health education from various stakeholders' perspectives. Methods: The primary study is a school-based, convergent mixed-methods design that includes a quantitative cross-sectional survey and a qualitative key informant study, conducted concurrently. A preliminary systematic review will inform the study's framework and instrument development. The quantitative phase will survey 400 students, selected through stratified random sampling from five schools in Bulawayo, using a self-administered questionnaire. The qualitative phase will consist of in-depth interviews with 10-15 teachers and healthcare workers. Quantitative data will be analysed with descriptive statistics and chi-square tests in SPSS version 28, while qualitative data will undergo thematic analysis. A joint display table will integrate the findings to identify areas of convergence, divergence, and complementarity. Discussion: The study will provide comprehensive data on the prevalence and drivers of RSB in Bulawayo's adolescents. Findings will inform the development of targeted school-based interventions and policies aimed at reducing RSB and improving sexual health outcomes. The study findings will be reported back to the public and health officials through community meetings and workshops.
Keywords: Risky sexual behaviour1, Adolescents2, Sexual Health3, high schools4, Bulawayo5
Received: 13 Nov 2025; Accepted: 08 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ndlovu and Moyo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Perez Livias Moyo
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