Sexual Behavior, Condom Use, and Associated Factors Among Grades 10-12 Students in Night Schools, Taoyuan, Taiwan

Yu-Hui Lo1, Fong-Ling Deng2, Chia-Ling Chen1, Hui-Chun Huang3, Fu-Ling Chu2, Lai-Chu See1,4

2011 Vol.27 NO.8

Correspondence Author： Lai-Chu See

Abstract：

In Taiwan, being sexually experienced is high among 10th through 12th grade students who study at night, but condom use among these students is unknown. We investigated sexual behavior and condom use among 10th through 12th grade night school students in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
A cross-sectional study design and multistage cluster sampling procedures were used to obtain the samples. Students were asked to anonymously complete a questionnaire including demographic information, sexual behavior, attitudes toward sex, sexual knowledge, and condom use. In September through October of 2005, we obtained 533 valid questionnaires (response rate, 94.7%). The overall proportion of students who reported being sexual experienced was 42.1% (95% CI, 38.5%-48.7%). A much higher proportion of private school students (54.2%; CI, 48.8%-59.7%) as compared to public school students (21.6%; CI, 15.7%-27.4%) reported having had sex. Multiple logistic regression revealed that school type, attitudes about sexual ethics, openness to premarital sex, and school grade were significantly associated with sexual experience. Among students with sexual experience, only 20.0% always used condoms when having sex. A multinomial logit model revealed that attitudes about sexual education and concern about interpersonal relationships were significantly associated with condom use.
In Taoyuan, a high proportion of students in grades 10-12 who were studying at night had sexual experience, but reported low condom use. Students who had higher scores on attitudes about sexual education and concerns about interpersonal relationships were more willing to use condoms when having sex.