Authorities at the University of Antioquia, Colombia, felt it would be advisable to institute a student orientation program aimed at preventing health problems resulting from risky sexual behavior related to new cultural trends. The purpose of the work reported in this article was to collect information on the existing situation and provide appropriate advice to the Health Division of the University Welfare Office. For this purpose a survey was conducted with the voluntary participation of 836 students enrolled in their final year of study. A survey form containing 45 questions designed to elicit demographic and sexual behavior data was self-administered anonymously by the participating students. Among the participants who were sexually active, 10.9% (17.2% of the men, 3.3% of the women) said they had contracted some variety of sexually transmitted disease (STD). The most common diagnoses were gonorrhea (42%), genital warts (23%), and genital herpes (19%). The risk of contracting STD was 4.2 times greater in those reporting sex with strangers; 3.4 times greater in those reporting four or more sexual partners; and 2.5 times greater in those reporting homosexual relations, as compared to students not practicing such behaviors. Some 28.4% of 790 survey respondents or their partners had been pregnant; 49% of these pregnancies had terminated in abortions, 77% of these being induced abortions. Only 51.3% of the survey participants reported customary use of contraceptives, those most frequently cited being condoms (by 32% of the users), pills (20%), the rhythm method (18%), and extravaginal ejaculation (17%). Generally speaking, it appears that participating students had received little sex education. To obtain information, they had turned primarily to friends and books. Those who said they had received adequate sex education at home participated somewhat less frequently in risky behaviors but appeared a little less apt to have used contraceptives and a little more apt to think that women should not seek satisfaction in their sexual relationships. It has been recommended that the university establish programs to augment student knowledge in this area, prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancies, and encourage responsible exercise of sexuality.
PIP: At the University of Antioqia, Colombia, a survey was conducted with the voluntary participation of 836 students enrolled in the final year of study with the objective of preventing health problems resulting from risky sex behavior. A self-administered questionnaire contained 45 questions relating to demographic and sex behavior aspects. Among 793 sexually active participants, 10.9% (17.2% of men and 3.3% of women) said they had contracted some type of sexually transmitted disease (STD). The most common diagnoses were for gonorrhea (42%), genital warts (23%), and genital herpes (19%). The risk of contracting an STD was 4.2 times greater in those reporting sex with strangers; 3.4 times greater in those with four or more sexual partners; and 2.5 times greater in those reporting homosexual relations as compared with students not practicing such behaviors. Some 28.4% of 790 survey respondents or their partners had been pregnant; 49% of these pregnancies had ended in abortions of which 77% of had been induced abortions. Only 51.3% of the survey participants reported customary use of contraceptives; those most frequently cited were condoms (32% of users), oral contraceptive pills (20%), the rhythm method (18%), and coitus interruptus (17%). With regard to sex education, 30.2% of men and 34.8% of women obtained adequate information in the home; 45.7% of men and 42.9% of women in school; and 26.1% of men and 30.3% of women at the university. Women tended to rely more than men on their families, while men tended to rely on books to obtain information. They consulted very little with clerics, family members, or teachers. Over one-third reported that they had obtained information from health workers. The group under the age of 25 showed a greater tendency to consult health workers, family members, teachers, and friends. The students who received adequate information also reported a somewhat lower incidence of high-risk sex behavior, induced abortions, and STDs. The university should establish programs to increase knowledge, prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancies, and encourage responsible behavior.