ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2009;   26 (3): 121-126

Original Article

SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS (Niš, Serbia)



Aleksandar Višnjić1,2, Nataša Milosavljević1, Miodrag Stojanović1,2, Slađana Jović1,3, Aleksandra Jović-Vraneš4, Olivera Radulović1,2, Dušica Stojanović1,2, Miodrag Stanković5, Sanja Kocić6,7

1Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia

2Public Health Institute Niš, Niš, Serbia

3Public Health Institute of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia

4Faculty of Medicine, University in Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

5Institute for Mental Health in Niš, Niš, Serbia

6Faculty of Medicine, University in Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia

7Public Health Institute Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
 


SUMMARY

 The aim of the study was to establish better understanding of students' sexual behavior and their attitudes toward sex. A total of 2.235 students were asked to anonymously complete a 22-item questionnaire referring to their attitudes towards sex and sexual behavior. In this study, 87% of male students and 77% of female students indicated that they expected to have sexual intercourse before marriage, while 22% of male students and 13% of female students approved extramarital sexual intercourse (χ2=38.431, df=1, p<0.001 and χ2=30.134, df=1, p<0.001, retrospectively). Out of the total number of investigated students, 78% of them reported that they had had sexual experience. A statistically significant difference was found between male (83%) and female (72%) students (χ2=38.404, df=1, p<0.001). It was also found that 58% of both male and female sexually active students had had their first sexual experience with a permanent partner. In addition, 41% of sexually active students reported that they had used condom during their first sexual intercourse, while 47% reported having used condom during the last sexual intercourse. The number of students who used condom is small, although it is constantly rising. Since students are more prone to have sexual intercourse with casual partners, much more effort is needed to promote safe sex practice among university students.

Key words: students, sexual behavior, condoms