title: Social and psychosocial factors associated with high-risk sexual behaviour among university students in the United Kingdom: a web-survey.
abstract: In the UK there are limited data about university students' risky sexual behaviour. A cross-sectional web-survey was conducted to investigate factors associated with high-risk sex among students at two UK universities. High-risk sex was reported by 25% of 1108. High personal sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk perception and permissive attitudes towards casual sex were associated with high-risk sex for both men (odds ratio [OR]: 12.12; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.10-35.81; OR: 2.49; 95%CI: 1.11-5.56, respectively) and women (OR: 22.31; 95% CI: 9.34-53.26; OR: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.82-5.01, respectively). For men, drinking alcohol (OR: 17.67; 95% CI: 1.90-164.23) and for women age and frequent drinking (OR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.05-3.89; OR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.08-3.31, respectively) were associated with high-risk sex. However, perceiving an average student as more likely to contract STIs (men, OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.16-0.75) or HIV (men, OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.20-0.96; women, OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.28-0.63) and finding it difficult to discuss sexual matters (women, OR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.39-0.91) were negatively associated with high-risk sex. Most of the factors found were similar to other populations, but some psychosocial factors showed complex patterns of association that require further investigation.
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, School of Health and Related Research, Sheffield, UK E.Chanakira@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chanakira
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, School of Health and Related Research, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Goyder
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, School of Health and Related Research, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, School of Health and Related Research, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Cathain
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, South Yorkshire Comprehensive Local Research Network, Sheffield, UK Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kinghorn
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, University Health Service, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jakubovic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: AIDS; HIV; Sexual behaviour; United Kingdom; high-risk behaviour; public health; sexual health; sexually transmitted infection; students; web-survey