A Comparative Research of Sexual Behaviour and Risk Perception in Two Cohorts of Spanish University Students

Abstract

The aim of this research was to describe the sexual behaviour and HIV/AIDS risk perception in two cohorts of Spanish university students. A cross-sectional design of two cohorts was employed. A total of 230 university students in 2004 (Mage=19.77; SD=1.73; 72.6% females) and 264 in 2012 (Mage=19.47; SD=1.73; 73.5% females) were recruited. A self-developed questionnaire on sexual behaviour was administered. A MANOVA per cohort, gender and age was performed. The results revealed that there were no differences between the cohorts regarding sexual practices. About one-fifth of sexually active young people used condoms regularly but not always, around one-sixth sometimes or never used them, half of the respondents did not usually require their sexual partners to take an HIV test and only the ten percent had ever undergone it. Three quarters of the subjects perceived some degree of invulnerability to HIV/AIDS. Spanish females perceived themselves more invulnerable.

Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes and Sexual Risk Behaviours Among College Students

“…The inconsistent usage of condom during sexual relations was the analyzed risky behavior with the highest prevalence among university students. The ones enquired in this study, just like the university students recently enquired in the context and scope of studies carried out by others, reported an inconsistent usage of condom in the majority of sexual relations (Castro, 2016;Dolphin et al, 2018;Fairfortune et al, 2020;Folasayo et al, 2017;Golbasi & Kelleci, 2011;Hoffman et al, 2017;Kebede et al, 2018;Magalhães, 2016;Makgale & Plattner, 2017;Mavhandu-Mudzusi & Asgedom, 2016;Pastor & Rojas-Murcia, 2019;Perera & Abeysena, 2018;Santos et al, 2016;SaraçoĞlu et al, 2014;Shapiro et al, 1999;Xu et al, 2019).…”

“…As can be verified in the study carried out by Shapiro and colleagues (1999), university students tend to agree that the usage of condom makes sexual relations less pleasant and that those who are in a stable and longlasting relationship does not need to use a condom. In the same sense, more recent investigations report that many university students believed that condoms reduced pleasure during the sexual relation(s) (Mukherjee et al, 2019) and that the trust put on sexual partners and the stability of romantic relationships justified the absence of the usage of condom (Pastor & Rojas-Murcia, 2019).…”

“…Sexual relations with multiple partners display a high prevalence among students belonging to higher education, especially when combined with sexual relations carried out after the ingestion of alcohol (Agardh et al, 2011). Although the scientific evidence indicate that the consistent usage of condom reduces up to 80% the risk of HIV infection (Weller & Davis-Beaty, 2002), unprotected sexual relations continue to be at the top in the list of risky sexual behaviors (Castro, 2016;Dolphin et al, 2018;Fairfortune et al, 2020;Folasayo et al, 2017;Golbasi & Kelleci, 2011;Hoffman et al, 2017;Kebede et al, 2018;Magalhães, 2016;Makgale & Plattner, 2017;Mavhandu-Mudzusi & Asgedom, 2016;Pastor & Rojas-Murcia, 2019;Perera & Abeysena, 2018;Santos et al, 2016;SaraçoĞlu et al, 2014;Shapiro et al, 1999;Xu et al, 2019).…”

The relationship between health-related knowledge and attitudes and health risk behaviours among Portuguese university students

“…In this sense, it is important to highlight the significance of the ‘lack of time’ barrier, whether for preparing healthy meals or for physical activity, which is mentioned in the literature as one of the main obstacles and which the results of this study corroborate ( 33 ). Another example cited in recent investigations is that many university students believe that condoms reduce pleasure during sexual intercourse ( 35 ) and that trust in the sexual partner and the stability of the love relationship justify not using condoms ( 37 ) – negative attitudes explicitly stated by the students surveyed in this study. It should be added that although attitudes towards the consumption of illicit drugs have not been presented as a predictor variable for this type of use, other studies have confirmed this relationship, showing that university students tend to consume under the influence of their peers ( 38 ).…”

Prevención del VIH: análisis de conductas sexuales de riesgo y propuestas de intervención

“…Estos porcentajes no son mejores en cuanto al uso de alcohol y otras drogas; fenómeno que, en pasados estudios, ya ha mostrado la gran interferencia que genera para la realización de conductas sexuales seguras (Fairlie et al, 2018;Ramiro et al, 2015). Al mismo tiempo, en línea con lo que recoge la literatura, la exposición al riesgo parece ser mayor en aquellas relaciones estables en las que dada la percepción de confianza y seguridad, suelen presentar un patrón más resistente al uso de métodos de barreras frente al empleo de los métodos anticonceptivos (Pastor & Rojas-Murcia, 2019;Pérez-Jiménez et al, 2009). Así pues, pese a que la fiabilidad percibida del método de barrera y el temor percibido puedan ser elevados, variables como la baja probabilidad percibida y otras, anteriormente comentadas, generan un perfil de riesgo que requiere la atención preventiva.…”