Predicting sexuality information completeness for safer sexual behaviour among young people in Uganda’s island communities: a structural equation modelling approach

Sexuality information is critical for promoting safer sexual behaviour among young people. However, while access to sexuality information has expanded, limited attention has been given to ensuring its completeness and alignment with young people’s preferred sources, resulting in fragmented and less effective learning. These gaps are particularly evident in Uganda’s island communities. This paper develops a sexuality information provision model from young people’s preferred sources of sexuality information, which predicts completeness to support safer sexual behaviour. Using a cross-sectional quantitative study, data were collected from 569 young people aged 10–24 years, using digital surveys. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Structural equation modeling was used to generate a model that predicts sexuality information completeness from preferred sources of sexuality information. Ethical approval, consent, and child protection procedures were strictly followed. A well-fitting modified structural equation model (χ² = 206.5, p < 0.001; RMSEA = 0.061, 90% CI: 0.051–0.070; SRMR = 0.069; CFI = 0.968; TLI = 0.945), highlights Books and /or recordings consistently having strongest effects across topics (β = 0.260–0.587; p < 0.001), followed by friends/confidants (β = 0.086–0.220; p < 0.05) and biological parents and guardians (β = 0.049–0.252; p < 0.05). Healthcare workers significantly contributed to biomedical topics such as body development, pregnancy, HIV, and STIs (β = 0.173–0.214; p < 0.001), for all topics to significantly predict sexuality information completeness (β = 0.760–1.413; p < 0.001). Complete sexuality information for young people can be achieved from multiple sources. Prioritizing programs targeting parents to provide sexuality information with the aid of books and/or recordings, in a friendly manner, can promote safer sexual behaviour among young people.