Prevalence and Determinants of Premarital Sex Among University Students of Bangladesh

This was a cross-sectional study having two main objectives: first, to find out the present trend of premarital intercourse among university students and, second, to identify the factors associated with it. The study was conducted using mixed methods: a sample survey and in-depth interviews. A total of 610 samples were randomly drawn from 20 out of 42 departments of a public university. The sample units were the undergraduate and graduate students. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted with the final year students. A mailed questionnaire was used for the survey and an interview guide for the in-depth interviews. SPSS statistical package was used for survey data processing. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis were performed for the survey data while thematic analysis was used for qualitative ones. About 30% of the total sampled students have had premarital intercourse experience. When percentages are calculated separately for male (336) and female (274) students, premarital intercourses were found 36% and 21% among male and female students, respectively. The intercourse partners are primarily boy/girlfriends. Other partners are married persons, relatives, sex workers, maidservants, rapers, and teachers. The primary motive of premarital intercourse, as stated by students, has been to seek pleasure not out of love. The multiple logistic regression has identified four factors that are uniquely associated with the occurrence of premarital intercourse among students, which are watching pornography, followed by knowledge of contraceptives, willingness to marry lovers, and peer pressure.