Trends in HIV risk behaviour of incoming first-year students at a South African university: 2007–2012

Abstract

The aim of the research on which this article is based was to understand the behavioural changes of the target student population over time to ensure that future prevention programmes are more effective in changing behaviour. This study reports on quantitative data collected at the University of the Western Cape over a six-year period between 2007 and 2012. All the students attending the orientation sessions and who were willing to complete the anonymous questionnaire during each of the six years were included in the study. Data were collected on the following aspects and subjects: sexual activity, age at first sexual encounter, number of sexual partners, condom usage, knowledge of how to use a condom, perceived ability to discuss condoms usage with a sexual partner, perception of HIV risk and HIV testing as well as the intention to be tested. Reported alcohol and drug usage, as well as depressive symptoms, was also recorded. The percentage of students reporting having had vaginal sex prior to entering university increased from 44% in 2007 to 51% in 2012 but, alarmingly, the consistent use of condoms decreased from 60% in 2007 to 51% in 2012. The average onset age of about 15.6 years for males and 16.7 years for females for vaginal sex did not change over the six-year period. No difference in smoking patterns or drug use was seen over the period of the study, but the number of entering students who indicated that they consumed alcohol increased significantly from 48% in 2007 to 58% in 2012. HIV testing increased from 19% in 2007 to 47% in 2012, whereas the intention to be tested showed no significant change over the period. Although students increasingly reported that they knew enough about HIV/AIDS (63% in 2007 and 69% in 2012), about a third reported suffering from AIDS fatigue. Prevention efforts targeted at those incoming first-year students who are not yet sexually active (about 45% in this study) should be developed and should take into account the multiplicity of factors that appear to influence their sexual debut.

A Comparative Analysis of Risky Sexual Behaviors, Self-Reported Sexually Transmitted Infections, Knowledge of Symptoms and Partner Notification Practices among Male and Female University Students in Pretoria, South Africa

“…Other studies reported that university students are likely to engage in unprotected sex, have multiple sex partners, engage in sex with older partners, engage in casual sex, and have sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs [ 6 , 7 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. In South Africa, 61% of students in the institutions of higher education are in a sexual relationship and 15% of them have sex partners who are older than themselves by five or more years [ 15 ].…”

Protective sexual behaviours among young adults in Nigeria: influence of family support and living with both parents

“…Most studies on the sexual behaviour of adolescents and young adults tend to characterise condomless sex and multiple sexual relationships as risky sexual behaviour [2–6]. While this is true to some extent, these studies may have overestimated the prevalence of risky sexual behaviours.…”

“…In general, the literature on adolescents and youth sexual behaviours are dominated by studies examining risky sexual behaviours and its determinants [2–6]. However, the practice of protective sexual behaviours and its determinants among this cohort has received little attention.…”

Qualitative evaluation of selected social factors that impact sexual risk-taking behaviour among African students in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

“…Other studies have explored young people’s sexuality through their parents’ perspective (Madumo, Havenga & Van Aswegen 2015 ; Rau, Radloff, Coetzee, Nardi, Smit & Matebesi 2015 ). Likewise, studies in this field of enquiry among students have generally employed a quantitative approach (Blignaut, Jacobs & Vergnani 2015 ). Furthermore, majority of available literature predominantly focuses on youth risky sexual practices (Simbayi, Shisana, Rehle, Onoya, Jooste, Zungu, et al .…”