McCullagh J, Bellis MA, Macintosh P, Syed Q, Mutton K; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1996 Jul 7-12; 11: 347 (abstract no. Th.C.4602).
AIDS/HIV Monitoring Unit, Public Health Laboratory, Fazakerley Hospital, Liverpool, UK. Fax: 0151 524 0362. E-mail: INTERNET: 100757,1777
Objectives: To measure the accumulation of HIV risk behaviour of students once at University and assess their familiarity with and preferences for a number of different HIV testing sites according to their HIV risk. Methods: Using an anonymised questionnaire distributed through four University newspapers 300 completed questionnaires were returned via a freepost system by students from two geographical areas in the North West of England (Liverpool and Manchester). Results: Participating students showed significant levels of HIV risk behaviour: a) paid for sex (5.7%); b) being payed for sex (3.7%); c) injecting drugs (3.0%); d) greater than 5 sexual partners in last year (23.7%); e) sex in a high prevalence country (7.7%), f) sex with an individual from a high risk county (1.3%), g) homosexual sex (7.0%), h) sex with a bisexual man (1.3%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that accumulation of each HIV risk was significantly associated with increased age for all measures except homosexuality. Independent of age effects however, sexual risks (e,f,h) also increased significantly with time at University. Only 12.8% of respondents had already been tested for HIV and having been tested was significantly associated with higher risk behaviour (P is less than 0.05). For all students (tested and non tested together) the main testing site of preference for males was the Community at General practices and for females at Family Planning Centres. However, individuals who had already been tested preferred different testings sites (X2=25.34 P is less than 0.001) primarily Genito-Urinary Medicine clinics. Conclusions: Postal questionnaires access a self-selected group of respondents. However, this study addresses trends within groups rather than absolute levels. Independent of age, participating students showed an increase in previous sexual risk behaviour with time spent at University. Although this highlights the need for testing and counselling facilities these data emphasise the problems associated with specifying particular sites. Significant differences between the types of testing setting preferred by the majority of students (General Practices for Males, Family Planning Clinics for Females) were not reflected in the preferences of the high risk individuals who had actually been tested (preferring Genito-Urinary Clinics). The paper discusses the need for a range of well advertised testing facilities in student populations in the UK.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Bisexuality
- Data Collection
- England
- Female
- HIV
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- HIV Seroprevalence
- Homosexuality
- Humans
- Male
- Population
- Questionnaires
- Research Design
- Sexual Behavior
- Sexual Partners
- Students
- Substance Abuse, Intravenous
- Universities
Other ID:
UI: 102220835
From Meeting Abstracts