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Sexual behavior and contraceptive use. Changes from 1975 to 1995 in college women
J F Peipert1, L Domagalski, L Boardman
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women & Infants' Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to compare the sexual practices and contraceptive use in a sample of college women in 1995 with women surveyed in 1975, 1986 and 1989.
Study Design:
We surveyed 336 college women seen at a university student health service or on campus and compared their responses to those of women surveyed at the university in 1975, 1986 and 1989.
Results:
The proportions of women who were sexually experienced, number of life-time male sexual partners, number of male sexual partners in the past year and frequencies of specific sexual practices were similar over the four survey times. Condom use was reported as the usual method of contraception in 7% of sexually experienced women in 1975, 14% in 1986, 25% in 1989 and 46% in 1995 (P < .00001, linear trend).
Conclusion:
We found little change in sexual practices in this college population over the four survey years, with the exception of an increase in the self-reported use of condoms. Increased educational efforts should emphasize safe sexual practices (barrier methods) to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and highly efficacious methods of contraception (hormonal contraception) to avoid unintended pregnancy.