title: Sexual behaviours and preconception health in Italian university students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Risky sexual behaviours have been recognized as a threat for sexual and reproductive health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article shows the results of the "Sportello Salute Giovani" project ("Youth Health Information Desk") in relation to determining how a large sample of university students in Italy cope with preconception health, especially in the domains of sexual transmitted infections (STIs), fertility and vaccination preventable disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twentythree questions of the "Sportello Salute Giovani" survey about sexual behaviour and reproductive health were analysed. Besides, results were stratified for sex, age class and socio-economic status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  19.7% of students have had first sexual intercourse before age 15. 21.8% of female students used emergency contraception. 66.4% of the 74.0% sexual active students reported using contraceptives, but about 32% of them used methods ineffective against STIs. A general low coverage for rubella, measles and mumps vaccination was revealed. 63.7% of men and 30.9% of woman never had urologic or gynaecological examinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, young adults in Italy are not still enough sensitized on fertility and preconception care. High schools and universities should increase awareness towards preservation of male and female fertility and preconception care.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Igiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poscia
authors.forename: Daniele Ignazio
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: La Milia
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Igiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lohmeyer
authors.forename: Adele Anna
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Teleman
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Igiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Waure
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Igiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D016742:Preconception Care; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult