Abstract
ObjectivesWe examined correlates of 1) being a virgin; 2) drug or alcohol use prior to the last intercourse; and 3) condom use during the last intercourse in a sample of college students.MethodsWe recruited 24,055 students at six colleges in the Southeast to complete an online survey, yielding 4840 responses (20.1% response rate), with complete data from 4514.ResultsLogistic regression indicated that correlates of virginity included being younger (p < 0.001), male (p = 0.01), being White or other ethnicity (p < 0.001), attending a four-vs. two-year school (p < 0.001), being single/never married (p < 0.001), lower sensation seeking (p < 0.001), more regular religious service attendance (p < 0.001), lower likelihood of smoking (p < 0.001) and marijuana use (p = 0.002), and less frequentdrinking (p < 0.001). Correlates of alcohol or drug use prior to most recent intercourse including being older (p = 0.03), being White (p < 0.01), attending a four-year college (p < 0.001), being homosexual (p = 0.041) or bisexual (p = 0.011), having more lifetime sexual partners (p = 0.005), lower satisfaction with life (p = 0.004), greater likelihood of smoking (p < 0.001) and marijuana use (p < 0.001), and more frequent drinking (p < 0.001). Correlates of condom use during the last sexual intercourse including being older (p = 0.003), being female (p < 0.001), being White (p < 0.001), attending a two-year school (p = 0.04), being single/never married (p = 0.005), being homosexual or bisexual (p = 0.04), and a more frequent drinking (p = 0.001).ConclusionsFour-year college attendees were more likely to be a virgin but, if sexually active, reported higher sexual risk behaviors. These nuances regarding sexual risk may provide targets for sexual health promotion programs and interventions.
Highlights
Young adults are likely to initiate risky health behaviors during college years
In relation to substance use in the past 30 days, those who had never engaged in sexual activity were less likely to have used cigarettes (p < 0.001), used marijuana (p < 0.001), and binge drank (p < 0.001), and used alcohol less frequently (p = 0.001)
Sociodemographic characteristics were significantly associated with all three behavioral outcomes of interest and warrant elaboration
Summary
Young adults are likely to initiate risky health behaviors during college years. Sexual risk behaviors (e.g., number of partners, alcohol or drug use prior to intercourse, condom use) are pervasive among college students (Lao, 2014; O’Malley, 2002). 24.9% and 21.9% of students reported doing something they regretted while they were drinking or forgot where they were or what they were doing while they were drinking respectively in the last 12 months (American College Health Association, 2012) [1] This risky substance use behavior may indicate concurrent risk behaviors, sexual risk behavior. Alcohol and tobacco are among the strongest predictors of an increased number of sexual partners among adolescent females (Valois, Oeltmann, Waller, & Hussey, 1999) [4] Despite these findings, little research has documented psychosocial factors such as satisfaction with life, sensation seeking, or religious attendance in relation to sexual behavior, among racially and ethnically diverse young adult college students
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