The State of the union: sexual health disparities in a national sample of US college students.
OBJECTIVE
To examine sexual health disparities between blacks and whites in a national sample of US college students. PARTICIPANTS AND METHOD SUMMARY: Analyses utilized secondary data from 44,165 nonmarried undergraduates (aged 18-24; M = 20.1) responding to the Spring 2007 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment; 64% were female and 94.7% were white.


RESULTS
Whites reported more experience in oral and anal sex, were less likely to use condoms for oral, anal, and vaginal sex, and less likely to have been tested for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) compared with blacks. However, blacks reported more sex partners, lower use of hormonal contraceptives, and higher rates of adverse sexual health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy. Sexual behaviors and outcomes also varied across gender.


CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights a need to increase access to hormonal contraceptives and early STI screening/treatment among blacks, improve HIV testing among whites, and increase condom use promotion for all students.
Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA. ebuhi@health.usf.edu
Eric R
ER
Buhi
Stephanie L
SL
Marhefka
Mary T
MT
Hoban
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D034121:Reproductive Health Services; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult