Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of University Students at a Rural South African University: Results of a Pilot Survey

Abstract

A cross sectional qualitative and quantitative pilot survey, using self-administered questionnaire and focus group discussions, was conducted to assess the feasibility of a health promotion programme implemented at the university. About 73 students participated in the survey and the discussion. We examined gender and cultural differences on sexual attitude and behaviour. There was a strong belief that unprotected sex can lead to pregnancy and STIs. Overall participants were not sure if condom use had any negative effects, although female respondents felt that condoms affect the pleasure of sexual intercourse.

The results suggest that there is a need for health promotion programmes aimed at young adults, who attend university. The programme should improve general health knowledge, targeting health promotion and sexual risk behaviour among university students. Such a programme would have to consider gender, socio-economic circumstances as well as national and cultural background of the target population.

KEYWORDS:

• South Africa
• university students
• health promotion
• HIV/AIDS intervention
• risk behavior
• condom use
• abstinence
• survey

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Corrigendum

Notes

We thank Raymond Chiruka, Andrew Gwaze, Show Marange, and Jesca M. Batidzirai for recruitment of the participants and assisting with the administration of the study. We thank all participants for their willingness to participate in the survey and the discussion. This survey was made possible through a grant from NIH R34MH078803.

^aChi-square test.

^bNormal approximation of the Mann-Whitney test.

Significance level α = 0.05.

^aChi-square test.

^bNormal approximation of the Mann-Whitney test.

Significance level α = 0.05.