When it comes to unsafe sex, women have a lot more to lose than men. Aside from the risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease, there is also the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy. Unfortunately, women who enter college may not be as savvy about this information--or as wary of the guys they sleep with--as they should be. According to a study published in the Journal of Sex Research, there is a definite decline in condom use for women in their freshman year of college.
Researchers recruited 279 college freshmen for the study. At the beginning of the year, the students were asked about their high school grade point average, religious beliefs, and parents’ education. They were even asked about whether or not they had participated in binge drinking or marijuana smoking prior to their first year of college. Then, using a statistics technique called latent growth modeling, researchers found out that there was indeed a decrease in condom use during their first year.
Having established that these young women are seriously at risk, researchers hope to drive safe sex campaigns toward this target audience. As lead author Jennifer Walsh, PhD, of The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine says, “Identifying the demographic and behavioral changes associated with decreases in condom use can eventually lead to more targeted educational and intervention efforts."
For more on condom use and safe sex, check these out on FN:
- 10 Stupid Mistakes Smart Women Make about Contraception
- Female Network's Ultimate Guide to Family Planning
- Real Men Wear Condoms: Why Using Rubbers Are a Sign of a Mature and Responsible Guy
(Photo by peachy92 via Flickr Creative Commons)
