Sexual behavior of students and risk perception

Abstract

Knowledge on sexuality, contraception, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases, is a fundamental prerequisite for determination of proper attitudes and increase of risk awareness level. Aim of this survey is to examine some characteristics of students sexual behavior and differences in knowledge, sexual behavior and risk perception for sexual diseases acquisition. Cross-sectional study was carried out among the student population of the Medical College of Vocational Studies in Belgrade. Examined sample population consisted of 246 students. There was used a questionnaire taken over from the Project called 'State of Health and HealthCare Needs of Population in Serbia, and Its Use of HealthCare Protection Service' from the year 2000, designed by the WHO. It was filled out anonymously. For the data statistical processing, there were used methods of descriptive and explorative analysis as well as the cross-table methods with the application of Pearson χ2 test. Analysis was done in the SPSS 13.0 software package. Results are presented in tables. Our research findings indicate that the students are well-informed on sexual transmission of HIV infection, while some smaller ration of them is familiar with the vertical transmission of HIV infection. Consistent use of condoms was found in a half of male participants and 2/5 of female ones, while 1/5 of examinees of both sexes each never use condoms. Inconsistent condom use is the main behavioral pattern in the student population. If a safe sex is considered to be a sexual intercourse with a condom during each sexual relation, with one partner and without sexual relations with unknown persons, we come to a conclusion that such a sex is being done only by 1/3 of the examinees, as well as that 2/3 of them have a risk behavior according to their statements that they never (17,8%), or occasionally (43,5%) use a condom.