Culture and gender as factors in patterns of high-risk sexual behaviour among students on the main campus of the University of the Free State

[摘要] English: In this article, an exposition is provided on information collected in a survey conducted at theUniversity of the Free State (UFS) to help provide a better understanding of risk factors for HIVinfection among UFS students in comparison with the behaviour patterns of students at otheruniversities. The focus was a univariate analysis.Stereotypes identified as a known risk factor making students at other universities more vulnerable toHIV and high-risk sexual behaviour, were also found among UFS students] 53% of the respondentsbelieved that lower-class people were most at risk of contracting HIV. Forty percent (40%) of thestudents who took part in the study admitted to being sexually active. This correlates with findings inthe literature study that students are a highly sexually active population. Eighteen percent (18%) ofsexually active students at the UFS admitted to having had five or more sexual partners in theirlifetime. Fifteen to nineteen years was identified as the watershed age range during which mostparticipants first had sexual intercourse.The majority of students (76%), stated that the existence of HIV had influenced their sexual interactionwith other people. In an interesting revelation, a general sexual culture was identified among UFSstudents, rather than culturally-based sexual practices.

[发布机构] University of the Free State