Increased use of condoms among female university students: A 5-year follow-up of sexual behavior

Objective. To ascertain any changes in sexual behavior and attitudes as an indication of the impact of intensified information activities aiming at decreasing the risk of spread of sexually transmitted diseases among university students. Methods. In 1989 questionnaires were offered to 275 consecutive female students visiting the Student Health Center. Identical questionnaires were mailed to 200 randomly selected women registered at Uppsala University. The study was repeated in 1994. The study was carried out in Uppsala, a city in Sweden with 27,000 university students. Results. At the Student Health Center 241 (88%) participated in the study in 1989 and 262 (95%) in 1994. Corresponding figures in the postal survey were 137 (69%) in 1989 and 151 (76%) in 1994. Compared with the findings in 1989, in 1994 the sexual behavior was unchanged in terms of mean age at first intercourse (17.6 years), median number of life partners (3-4) and median number of sexual partners during the last 12 months (1), but the awareness of sexually transmitted diseases had increased. Their attitudes to using condoms had become more positive and the actual use of a condom had also increased both at the first intercourse and when changing partner, from 40 to 60%. Concerns about safety of oral contraceptives decreased significantly. Conclusions. This follow-up shows that awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and condom use had increased between 1989 and 1994, possibly as a result of intensified information efforts.