- Authors: Borges-Costa J, Castro R, Gravata A
- Publication Year: 2016
- Journal: Acta Médica Portuguesa
- Link: https://www.actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/viewFile/6692/4910
Sociodemographic Factors and Risky Behaviours
Assess sociodemographic factors and risky behaviours associated with sexual transmitted infections it´s essencial to reduce the morbidity of these diseases. Because of that this study aimed to evaluate personal knowledge of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in foreign exchange students in Portugal.
The authors used a questionnaire as instrument for data collection and applied it to 338 foreign students in university exchange in Portugal between 2012 – 2015. The questionnaire answers showed that female student were in majority (58.3%) with aged between 17 and 30 years old. The students start their sexual activity at 17.5 years old had 6.9 sexual partners in their lifetime, analysing the mean.
Regarding to students behaviors they assumed had practiced anal sex (29%). They also mentioned had a sexual relationship with the same gender (11.8%) but some mentioned that they have never done oral sex (9.5%). Also 82.1% of the students mentioned alcohol/drugs consumption.
Moreover, in relation to knowledge students didn´t recognize Chlamydia trachomatis as a sexual transmitted infections agent (42.3%). 21% also didn´t know that sexual infections could be transmitted through oral sex.
Sexual sociodemographic and behaviour factors influenced the prevalence rates of sexual transmitted infections. Despite knowing about sexual transmitted infections, these students maintain sexual risky behaviours, mainly early age with multiple sexual partners and in the absence of protection during sexual activities.