Background: Risky sexual behaviors can negatively affect the health of youths predisposing them to a variety of reproductive and sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy to females that would, in turn lead to serious lifelong deleterious health, social and economic consequences. While youths tend to be less well-informed and require more information, there is a dearth of information that can address risky sexual behaviors in this cohort of population in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. Therefore, this study was designed to assess Practice of risky sexual behaviour and associated factors among private preparatory school youths in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia.

METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 414 regularly attending private preparatory school students in Gondar town from April 23 to April 29, 2019. Simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. A pre-tested structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was employed and multivariable binary logistic regression model was used to identify the effect of independent variables on the outcome variable, P-values less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant factors associated with the experience of risky sexual behaviour.

RESULT: The prevalence of risky sexual behavior was found to be 49.3(95% CI: 46.4-55.65).Those experiencing peer pressure was (AOR=1.99, 95%CI: 1.21-3.26), drinking alcohol (AOR=4.88 95% CI: 3.06- 7.79) and watching pornography (AOR= 2.82, 95% CI: 1.74-4.56) were statistically significant factors associated with the practice of risky sexual behavior.

Conclusions and Recommendations: In this study, the prevalence of risky sexual behavior was found to be high. Thus, collaborated effort is needed from parents, schools, health facilities and government to bring healthy sexual behavior among those school youths.

KEYWORDS: risky sexual behavior, private preparatory school students, Ethiopia