Sexual behaviour and attitudes among university students in Zagreb

Abstract

Background

Sexual behaviour of youth could have reproductive health outcomes with an impact on individual and general population health. The aim of this study was to determine sexual behaviour and attitudes among first year university students in city of Zagreb, Croatia.

Methods

Study included 298 first year students (61% of females) of Medical School University of Zagreb and 124 students (75% of females) of Catholic University of Zagreb in academic year 2017/2018. Data were collected by anonymous questionnaire School Health Survey, and analysed by descriptive statistics.

Results

Significantly higher proportion of Catholic University students have had sexual intercourse comparing to medical students of University of Zagreb (48% vs. 36%, P = 0.019). The age of first sexual intercourse for the most of students was from 16-18 years (73% of Catholic University students, and 79% of medical students). Contraception was always used among 54% of Catholic University students, and 67% of medical students, and never used among 11% and 4% of them respectively. Most of the students have gained information about human sexuality from the internet (26% of Catholic University students, and 30% of medical students), followed by friends (18%) and parents (11%) for Catholic University students, and television (25%) and friends (14%) for medical students. Most students expressed the attitude that sex education should be introduced in secondary schools (31% and 36%, respectively), followed by both, in primary and secondary schools (21%, and 30% respectively). Fourteen percent of Catholic University students and 7% of medical students thought that sex education should not be introduced to schools.

Conclusions

Results showed risky sexual behaviour of university students, especially Catholic University students, indicating the need of continuous education on reproductive health among youth.

Key messages

• Results indicate the need of intervention and continuous education on reproductive health among university students in Zagreb, Croatia.

• Results showed insufficient use of contraception especially among Catholic University students indicating the need of education on reproductive health among medical and nonmedical students.