Prevalence of condom use and associated factors among Chinese female undergraduate students in Wuhan, China

Abstract

With the increasing prevalence of premarital sex among college students in China, our aim was to examine prevalence and determinants of condom use among sexually active female undergraduates at 16 university campuses in Wuhan. Questionnaires were distributed to 5076 unmarried female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and student major and grade, and anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4769 (94% of enrollees). The complex samples logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with condom use, yielding odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Of 4769 female students, 863 (18.1%) reported ever having sexual intercourse. Of these, 19.8% used a condom in their first sexual encounter, and these students were more likely to age 20 or older at first intercourse, and less likely to live in countryside during middle school period, and majoring in the arts. Fully 30% of those having intercourse reported never or seldom or sometimes using condoms in the past 12 months. Students using condoms consistently in the past 12 months were more likely majoring in science and technology, to believe that condoms are the safest way to prevent STD and unwanted pregnancy, and to have used a condom at first intercourse; they were less likely to live in countryside during middle school period, and to report multiple sexual partners since initiating sexual behavior. These results suggested that a larger subset of Chinese female undergraduates is engaged in unprotected, premarital sex, and interventions provided for them should stress the importance of delaying sexual initiation, using condoms from the very first sexual encounter, and consistently using condoms after initiating sex.

Determinants of Consistent Condom Use among College Students in China: Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavior Skills (IMB) Model

“…Previous studies have indicated that college students are at high risk of HIV/AIDS infections [6] , [7] . Meanwhile, some college students are engaging themselves in high levels of unprotected sexual intercourse with multiple sex partners and other risky sexual behaviors [8] , [9] . Thus, research and concerned organizations reach consensus to develop effective HIV preventive interventions among college students [10] .…”

HIVknowledge and condom intention among sexually abstinentChinese students

“…Despite these challenges, a large number of college students (74–82%) in China have not had sexual intercourse (Tang et al. ; Xiao ; Zhou et al. ).…”

Prevalence of Premarital Sex and Related Risky Practices Among Students of Ayer Tena Health Science and Business College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

“…However, it is greater than that of non-medical students of an Iranian university, called a great university of Mashhad (15.1%) [15], female undergraduates inWuhan (8.1%), China [5,18], and students of Dicle University (4.3%) in Turkey [19].This discrepancy could be explained by religious differences. In Iran and Turkey the dominant religion is Islam which does not only forbids premarital sex practice but also punishes the act.…”

“…In Iranthe rate of premarital sex is 15.1% among non-medical students of a great university of Mashhad, which was more common among males than females [15].In southern Iran (in Shiraz) the rate of premarital sex among the youth is 47.5% [16]. It is 63.9% among the unmarried youth of Vientiane Capital City, with higher prevalence among males than females [17].It is 8.1% among unmarried female undergraduates in China (Wuhan) [5,18].The rate of premarital sexual intercourse was low (4.3%) among students of Dicle University in Turkey, it being more prevalent among males than females (87.7% and 44.2% respectively) [19].The prevalence of premarital sexual practice in Africa seems to be higher compared to other continents. A very recent study conducted in Nigeria showed that the prevalence of premarital sex was 45.8% among nursing students, with more frequency among male students [20].…”