Examining gender differences in self-reported sexual behaviors among HPV vaccine-eligible college students
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
Background: College-age students are at high risk for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection due to engagement in high-risk sexual behaviors including multiple sexual partners, infrequent condom use, and recent sexual activity. HPV is commonly spread through skin-to-skin genital contact; therefore, condoms and other barrier methods do not offer protection from the virus in uncovered areas. Other than abstaining from sexual activity, HPV vaccination is the most effective method for the prevention of HPV. Despite these facts, many college students remain unvaccinated. It is necessary to explore sexual behavior among unvaccinated college students as a means to gauge potential risk for HPV and provide insight for future programming. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in self-reported sexual behaviors among undergraduate college students attending a large public university in the Southeastern, United States. Methods. Undergraduate students between 18 and 26, who had not received the HPV vaccine were recruited to participate in this study. Participants completed an online questionnaire with sexual activity items modified from the National College Health Assessment II survey, including having ever been sexually active, number of lifetime and 12-month oral, anal, and vaginal sexual partners, and 30-day participation in oral, anal, and vaginal sex. Results. A total of 556 students (n = 299 females, 257 males) participated in this study. Approximately 77% of college females in the sample reported having ever engaged in oral, anal, or vaginal sex compared to 86% of college males (χ2 =7.622, p =.006; Cramer's V =.117). One-way ANOVA tests revealed significant gender differences between lifetime number of vaginal sex partners (females M = 3.27, males M = 5.74, p < .001) and oral sex partners (females M = 2.8, males M = 6.33, p < .001). Significant gender differences were also identified in number of vaginal sex partners (females M = 1.43, males M = 1.8, p=.036) and oral sex partners (females M = 1.15, males M = 2.08, p < .001) reported in the last 12 months. Over half of college females (54.5%) reported having vaginal sex in the last 30 days compared to 56% of college males. Nearly half of college females (47.2%) and more than half of males (54.9%) reported having oral sex in the last 30 days. Discussion. The findings from this investigation suggest a significant proportion of unvaccinated college students have engaged in sexual activity with multiple partners, which places them at high risk for HPV infection and other sexually transmitted infections. Furthermore, the results suggest that college males engage in oral and vaginal sex with a larger number of sexual partners annually and throughout their lifetime compared to their college female counterparts. These findings are consistent with previous research exploring gender differences in sexual behavior within college student and adult populations. Conclusion: Public health practitioners working with college-age students should promote HPV vaccination for unvaccinated students and continue to reinforce use of barrier methods to reduce HPV transmission among this high-risk population. Practitioners should consider specifically targeting college males for programming since they tend to have more sexual partners than college females; college male HPV vaccination rates are lower than those of college females; and there is currently no FDA-approved test to detect the HPV virus in males.
