 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Joerg Klewer1, Laura Sasnauskaite2, Alvydas Pavilonis2, Francisco Guillen-Grima3, Irena Aguinaga-Ontoso3, and Joachim Kugler1. (1) Public Health, Dresden Medical School, IMIB-Fetscherstr. 74, Dresden, 01307, Germany, 0049-351-3177217, Joklewer@aol.com, (2) Dept. of Microbiology, Kaunas Medical University, Mickeviciaus 9, Kaunas, 3000, Lithuania, (3) Dept. of Health Sciences, University of Navarre, Avda Baranain s/n, Pamplona, 31008, Spain
Introduction: In Eastern Europe, the incidences of sexually acquired infections are increasing. Therefore, research on sexual behavior of European health care students is essential, because they belong to an age group with high risk for sexually acquired infections. Additionally, after graduating, they are expected to educate the population about sexuality, contraception, HIV and STD. However, to date, comprehensive studies evaluating sexual behavior of European health care students are still lacking. Methods: To explore sexual behavior in health care students, the study analyzed the number of sexual partners, condom use, sexual practices and HIV testing in 182 German medical/ dental students, 88 Lithuanian medical students and 195 Spanish nursing students. Results: The German and Lithuanian students had significantly more sexual partners within the previous 12 months than the Spanish students. But the percentage of sexually active Spanish students (67%) always using condoms differed significantly from the Lithuanian (35%) and German samples (18%). Sexual practices, like fellatio, cunnilingus and anal intercourse, were significantly more common in the sexual active German students than in the Lithuanian and Spanish students. Conclusions: The findings contribute to the knowledge of sexual behavior in health care students. Furthermore, the results revealed risky sexual behavior, like deficient use of condoms, in European health care students. Consequently, education of health care students should focus more intensively on sexuality, contraception and sexually acquired infections, to prevent the students and their future patients from STD and HIV.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Sexual Behavior, Students
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.