title: Sexual behaviour and risk of sexually transmitted infections in young female healthcare students in Spain.
abstract: Background. Several authors have examined the risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI), but no study has yet analyzed it solely in relation with sexual behaviour in women. We analyzed the association of sexual behaviour with STI risk in female university students of healthcare sciences. Methods. We designed a cross-sectional study assessing over three months vaginal intercourse with a man. The study involved 175 female university students, without a stable partner, studying healthcare sciences in Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  STI risk (not always using male condoms). Secondary variables: sexual behaviour, method of orgasm, desire to increase the frequency of sexual relations, desire to have more variety in sexual relations, frequency of sexual intercourse with the partner, and age. The information was collected with an original questionnaire. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) in order to analyze the association between the STI risk and the study variables. Results. Of the 175 women, 52 were positive for STI risk (29.7%, 95% CI [22.9-36.5%]). Factors significantly associated with STI risk (p < 0.05) included: orgasm (not having orgasms →OR = 7.01, 95% CI [1.49-33.00]; several methods →OR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.31-1.90]; one single method →OR = 1; p = 0.008) and desiring an increased frequency of sexual activities (OR = 0.27, 95% CI [0.13-0.59], p < 0.001). Conclusions. Women's desire for sexual activities and their sexual function were significant predictors of their risk for STI. Information about sexual function is an intrinsic aspect of sexual behaviour and should be taken into consideration when seeking approaches to reduce risks for STI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Miguel Hernández University , San Juan de Alicante, Alicante , Spain.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Navarro-Cremades
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Miguel Hernández University , San Juan de Alicante, Alicante , Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palazón-Bru
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Surgery, Miguel Hernández University , San Juan de Alicante, Alicante , Spain.
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marhuenda-Amorós
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Surgery, Miguel Hernández University , San Juan de Alicante, Alicante , Spain.
authors.forename: María Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Tomás-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, San Antonio Catholic University , Murcia , Spain.
authors.forename: Fina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Antón-Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Centre for Information and AIDS Prevention, Conselleria de Sanitat , Alicante , Spain.
authors.forename: Josefina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belda-Ibañez
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of Salamanca , Salamanca , Spain.
authors.forename: Ángel Luis
authors.initials: ÁL
authors.lastname: Montejo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Miguel Hernández University , San Juan de Alicante, Alicante , Spain.
authors.forename: Vicente Francisco
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Gil-Guillén
keywords: Condoms; Sexual behaviour; Sexual partners; Sexually transmitted diseases; Women