title: Determinants of risky sexual behavior and condom use among college students in China.
abstract: The purposes of this study were to assess sexual behavior and condom use among Chinese college students, and to explore social-environmental and social-cognitive determinants associated with risky sexual behaviors within this population. A survey was conducted among 19,123 Chinese college students recruited through stratified cluster sampling. About 9% of the students reported having had sex (male=13.3%, female=5.0%, OR=2.918), 3.6% had multiple sexual partners (male=5.7%, female=1.6%, OR=3.624), and 0.9% had commercialized sex (male=1.6%, female=0.3%, OR=6.169). Only 24.8% of sexually active students had used a condom for every sexual encounter, and there was no significant difference in condom use between male students and female students. Logistic regression showed that sex (female, OR=0.769), age (older, OR=1.263), exposure to pornographic information (higher, OR=1.751), drinking (intoxication, OR=1.437), and smoking (OR=2.123-5.112) were all determinants of sexual behaviors. Path analysis showed that exposure to pornographic information, level of consumption, and sex education were important social-environmental factors of condom use. Condom use was more common among those who had greater HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes toward high-risk behavior, self-efficacy, and intent to use a condom. Intentions were the most important and direct factor influencing condom use. The study concluded that college students are vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases - including HIV/AIDS infection - through sexual contact. Therefore, future HIV/AIDS prevention and safer sex interventions should focus on self-protection skills and target behavior change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xinying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xiaona
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yuhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peiyu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004882:Erotica; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012907:Smoking; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult