Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T08:41:49.806Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Gender Differences in HIV-Related Sexual Behavior among College Students from Spain and Portugal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Alicia Muñoz-Silva ,
Manuel Sánchez-García ,
Ana Martins  and
Cristina Nunes
Alicia Muñoz-Silva*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Huelva (Spain)
Manuel Sánchez-García
Affiliation:
Universidad de Huelva (Spain)
Ana Martins
Affiliation:
Universidade do Algarve (Portugal)
Cristina Nunes
Affiliation:
Universidade do Algarve (Portugal)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Alicia Muñoz-Silva. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad de Huelva. Campus de El Carmen, s/n. 21007 Huelva (Spain). Phone: +34-959219208; Fax: +34-959219357. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Under the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behavior, the objective of this study was to know the gender differences in the variables involved in the use of effective preventive measures in sexual relations against HIV in a sample of university students from Spain and Portugal. Furthermore, it is examined whether these factors produce different predictions concerning the adoption of safe sexual behaviour for young man and women in each country. The sample consisted of 683 university students, 319 Portuguese (64% female and 36% male) from the University of Algarve and 364 Spanish students (51% female and 49% male) from the University of Huelva. Data were obtained by means of a questionnaire. The data revealed that there are gender differences which apply in both countries, highlighting that the young women have more positive attitudes, greater perceived behavioural control and intention of condom use than young men. However, they protect themselves less that their male counterparts: the percentage of females who say using condoms as a contraceptive method is less than the percentage of males, and especially with their steady partners. The results are discussed in relation to gender role norms, to have a steady partner or not, gender relations, the associated meaning to sexual relations for men and women and their implications for the design of sexual educational programmes for them.

Bajo el enfoque de la Teoría de la Conducta Planeada, el objetivo de este estudio fue analizar las diferencias de género en cuanto a las variables que están implicadas en el uso efectivo de medidas preventivas en las relaciones sexuales frente al VIH, en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios de España y Portugal. Además, se analizó si estas variables provocan diferencias en las predicciones relacionadas con la adopción de conductas sexuales seguras por chicos y chicas en cada país. La muestra estaba formada por 683 estudiantes universitarios, 319 portugueses (64% mujeres y 36% hombres) de la Universidade do Algarve y 364 estudiantes españoles (51% mujeres y 49% hombres) de la Universidad de Huelva. Los datos fueron recogidos a través de un cuestionario. Los datos revelaron que hay diferencias de género que se mantienen en ambos países, destacando que las chicas tienen actitudes más positivas, una mayor percepción de control del comportamiento y una mayor intención de uso del preservativo que los chicos. Sin embargo, las chicas se protegen menos que sus homólogos masculinos: el porcentaje de mujeres que dicen usar el preservativo como un método anticonceptivo es menor que el porcentaje de hombres, y especialmente con sus parejas estables. Los resultados se discuten en relación con el papel de las normas de género, con el hecho de tener pareja estable o no, las relaciones de género, el significado asociado a las relaciones sexuales entre hombres y mujeres y sus implicaciones para el diseño de programas de educación sexual.

Keywords

HIV/AIDSgender differencesuniversity studentspreventive sexual behaviorsVIH/SIDAdiferencias de géneroestudiantes universitariosconductas sexuales de prevención
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 12 , Issue 2 , November 2009 , pp. 485 - 495
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ajzen, I. (1985). From intentions to actions: A theory of planned bahavior. In Kuhl, J & Beckmann, J. (Eds.), Action Control: From cognition to behaviour (pp. 11–39). New York: Springer-Verlag.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Amaro, H., Raj, A., & Reed, E. (2001). Women's sexual health: The need for feminist analyses in public health in the Decade of Behaviour. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 25, 324–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Babikian, T., Freier, M.C., Hopkins, G.L., DiClemente, R., McBride, D., & Riggs, M. (2004). An assessment of HIV/AIDS risk in higher education students in Yerevan, Armenia. AIDS Behavior, 8, 47–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baele, J., Dusseldorp, E., & Maes, S. (2001). Condom use self-efficacy: Effect in intended and actual condom use in adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 28, 421–431.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barrón, A., Martínez-Íñigo, D., de Paúl, P., & Yela, C. (1999). Romantic Beliefs and Myths in Spain. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 2, 64–73Google Scholar
Basen-Engquist, K., Mâsse, L.C., Coyle, K., Kirby, D., Parcel, G.S., Banspach, S., & Nodora, J. (1999). Validity of scales measuring the psychosocial determinants of HIV/STD-related risk behaviour in adolescents. Health Education Research, 14, 25–38.Google Scholar
Bayés, R., Pastells, S., & Tuldra, A. (1995). Percepción del riesgo de transmisión del virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) en estudiantes universitarios. (Perception of risk of transmission of HIV in university students). Cuadernos de Medicina Psicosomática, 33, 22–27.Google Scholar
Bazargan, M., Kelly, E.M., Stein, J.A., Husaini, B.A., & Bazargan, S.H. (2000). Correlates of HIV risk-taking behaviours among African-american college students: The effect of HIV knowledge, motivation, and behavioural skills. Journal of the National Medical Association, 92, 391–404.Google Scholar
Bimbela, J.L., Jiménez, J.M., Alfaro, N., Gutiérrez, P., & March, J.C. (2002). Uso del profiláctico entre la juventud en sus relaciones de coito vaginal (Condom use among the young engaging in vaginal intercourse). Gaceta Sanitaria, 16, 298–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bosompra, K. (2001). Determinants of condom use intentions of university students in Ghana: An application of the theory of reasoned action. Social Science and Medicine, 52, 1057–1069.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bradley, G., & Wildman, K. (2002). Psychosocial predictors of emerging adults risk and reckless behaviours, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 31, 253–265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, S.M., Peplau, L.A., & DeBro, S.C. (1992). Women, men, and condoms: Attitudes and experiences of heterosexual college students. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 16, 273–288.Google Scholar
Carrasco, A., Muñoz-Silva, A., & Sánchez-García, M. (2003). Conductas de prevención respecto a la transmisión sexual del SIDA en jóvenes y expectativas de autoeficacia: Un estudio en función del género (Prevention behavior as regards sexual transmission of AIDS in young people and self-efficacy expectations: A gender study). Revista de Psicología de la Salud, 15, 95–109.Google Scholar
Castañeda, D. (2000). The close relationship context and HIV/AIDS risk reduction among Mexican Americans. Sex Roles, 42, 551–580.Google Scholar
Cerqueira-Santos, E., Koller, S., & Wilcox, B. (2008). Condom use, contraceptive methods, and religiosity among youths of low socioeconomic level. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 11, 94–102.Google Scholar
Cok, F., Gray, L.A., & Ersever, H. (2001). Turkish university students' sexual behaviour, knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of risk related to HIV/AIDS. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 3, 81–99.Google Scholar
Comissão Nacional luta Contra a Sida (2004). Plano Nacional de Luta Contra a Sida 2004-2006. (National Plan against AIDS 2004-2006). Available at: http://www.sida.pt/upload/membro.id/ficheiros/i005526.pdf. Accessed on 12 September 2006.Google Scholar
Coordenação Nacional para a Infecção VIH/SIDA (2006). Protocolos celebrados. 2006. (Held actions. 2006). Available at: http://www.sida.pt/default.asp. Accessed on 2 September 2006.Google Scholar
Cummings, B., Mengistu, M., Negash, W., Bekele, A., & Ghile, T. (2006). Barriers to and facilitators for female participation in an HIV prevention project in Rural Ethiopia: Findings from a qualitative evaluation. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 8, 251–266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dekin, B. (1996). Gender differences in HIV-related self-reported knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among college students. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12, 61–66.Google Scholar
Dias, S.F., Matos, M.G., & Gonçalves, A.C. (2005). Preventing HIV transmission in adolescents: an analysis of the Portuguese data from the Health Behaviour School-aged Children study and focus group. European Journal of Public Health, 15, 300–304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
EuroHIV (2006). HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe: mid-year report 2005, No 72. August. Saint-Maurice, Institut de Veille Sanitaire. Available at http://www.eurohiv.org. Accesed on 25 June 2008.Google Scholar
EuroHIV (2007). HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe: end-year report 2006, No 75. Saint-Maurice, Institut de Veille Sanitaire. Available at http://www.eurohiv.org. Accesed on 25 June 2008.Google Scholar
Fazecas, A., Senn, Ch., & ledgerwood, D. (2001). Predictors of intention to use condoms among university women: An application and extension of the theory of planned behavior. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 33, 103–117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gavey, N., & McPhillips, K. (1999). Subject to romance. Heterosexual passivity as an obstacle to women initiating condom use. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 23, 349–367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gebhardt, W.A., Kuyper, L., & Greunsven, G. (2003). Need for intimacy in relationships and motives for sex as determinants of adolescent condom use. Journal of Adolescent Health, 33, 154–164.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gutiérrez, L., Oh, H.J., & Gillmore, M.R. (2000). Toward an understanding of (em)power(ment) for HIV/AIDS prevention with adolescent women. Sex Roles, 42, 581–611.Google Scholar
Hatfield, E., Sprecher, S., Pillemer, J.T., Greenberger, D., & Wexler, P. (1988). Gender differences in what is desired in the sexual relationship. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 1, 39–52.Google Scholar
Holschneider, S.O.M., & Alexander, C.S. (2003). Social and Psychological influences on HIV preventive behaviors of youth in Haiti. Journal of Adolescent Health, 33, 31–40.Google Scholar
Hynie, M., Lydon, J.E., Côté, S., & Wiener, S. (1998). Relational sexual scripts and women's condom use: The importance of internalized norms. The Journal of Sex Research, 35, 370–380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Instituto de Salud Carlos III & Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo. Vigilancia Epidemiológica del SIDA en España (2005). Registro Nacional de Casos de SIDA. Actualización a 31 de diciembre de 2005. (National AIDS cases Registry. Update on 31 December 2005). Available at: http://www.isciii.es/htdocs/pdf/informe_sida.pdf. Accessed on 2 September 2006.Google Scholar
Kotchick, B.A., Shaffer, A., Forehand, R., & Miller, K.S. (2001). Adolescent sexual risk behavior: A multi-system perspective. Clinical Psychology Review, 21, 493–519.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krahé, B., & Reiss, C. (1995). Predicting intentions of AIDS-preventive behavior among adolescents. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 25, 2118–2140CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kvalem, I.L., & Træen, B. (2000). Self-efficacy, scripts of love and intention to use condoms among Norwegian adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29, 337–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lameiras, M., Nuñez, A.M., Rodríguez, Y., Bretón, J. y Agudelo, D. (2005). Actividad sexual y uso del preservativo en jóvenes universitarios gallegos. (Sexual activity and male condom use by university students from Galicia). Clínica y Salud, 16(3), 253–267.Google Scholar
Laraque, D., Maclean, D.E., Brown-Peterside, P., Ashton, D., & Diamond, B. (1997). Predictors of reported condom use in central Harlem youth as conceptualized by the Health Belief Model. Journal of Adolescent Health, 21, 318–327.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Manuel, S. (2005). Obstacles to condom use among secondary school students in Maputo city, Mozambique. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 7, 293–302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martínez-Donate, A.P., Hovell, M.F., Blumberg, E.J., Zellner, J.A., Sipan, L., Shillington, A.M., & Carrizosa, C. (2004). Gender differences in condom-related behaviors and attitudes among mexican adolescents living on the U.S.-Mexico border. AIDS Education and Prevention, 16, 172–186.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meekers, D., & Klein, M. (2002). Understanding gender differences in condom use self-efficacy among youth in urban Cameroon. AIDS Education and Prevention, 14, 62–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Merakou, K., Costopoulos, C., Marcopoulou, J., & Kourea-Kremastinou, J. (2002). Knowledge, attitudes and behavior after 15 years of HIV/AIDS prevention in schools. European Journal of Public Health, 12, 90–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ministério da Saude & Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge. Centro de Vigilância Epidemiológica das Doenças Transmissíveis (2006). Infecção VIH/SIDA. A situação em Portugal. 30 de Junho de 2006. Doc. 136. (HIV/AIDS Infection. The situation in Portugal. 30 June 2006). Available at: http://www.insarj.pt/site/resources/docs/SIDA_30_de_Junho_de_2006.pdf. Accessed on 2 September 2006.Google Scholar
Moore, S., Rosenthal, D., & Mitchell, A. (1996). Youth, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Murphy, D.A., Rotheram-Borus, M.J., & Reid, H.M. (1998). Adolescent gender differences in HIV-related sexual risk acts, social-cognitive factors and behavioral skills. Journal of Adolescence, 21, 197–208.Google Scholar
Newman, P.A., & Zimmerman, M.A. (2000). Gender differences in HIV-related sexual risk behavior among urban African American youth: A multivariate approach. AIDS Education and Prevention, 12, 308–325.Google ScholarPubMed
oliva, A., Serra, L., & Vallejo, R. (1993). Sexualidad y anticoncepción en jóvenes andaluces.(Sexuality and contraception in Andalusian young people). Sevilla: Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Consejería de Salud.Google Scholar
Parsons, J.T., Halkitis, P.N., Bimbi, D., & Borkowski, T. (2000). Perceptions of the benefits and costs associated with condom use and unprotect sex among late adolescent college students. Journal of Adolescence, 23, 377–391.Google Scholar
Quina, K., Harlow, L.L., Morokoff, P.J., Burkholder, G., & Deiter, P.J. (2000). Sexual communication in relationships: When words speak louder than actions. Sex Roles, 42, 523–549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reinecke, J., Schmidt, P., & Ajzen, I. (1996). Application of the theory of planned behavior to adolescents' condom use: a panel study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 26, 749–772.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenstock, I.M., Strecher, V.J., & Becker, M.H. (1994). The health belief model and HIV risk behavior change. In DiClemente, R.J. & Peterson, J.L. (Eds.), Preventing AIDS: Theories and Methods of Behavioral Interventions (pp. 5–24). New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Sacco, W.P., Rickman, R.L., Thompson, K., levine, B., & Reed, D.L. (1993). Gender differences in AIDS-relevant condom attitudes and condom use. AIDS Education and Prevention, 5, 311–326.Google ScholarPubMed
Salgado de Snyder, V.N., Acevedo, A., Díaz-Pérez, M.J., & Saldívar-Garduño, A. (2000). Understanding the sexuality of Mexican-born women and their risk for HIV/AIDS. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 24, 100–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sánchez-García, M. (2001). Validación de ítems y pruebas: una aplicación a la medición de conductas de riesgo de transmisión del VIH (Validation of items and tests: An application to the measurement of risk behaviors of HIV transmission). Doctoral thesis not published. Seville, University of Seville.Google Scholar
Secretaría del Plan nacional sobre el SIDA del Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo (1997). Plan de Movilización Multisectorial frente al VIH/SIDA 1997-2000. (Multisectorial Action Plan against HIV/AIDS 1997-2000). Available at: http://www.msc.es/ciudadanos/enfLesiones/enfTransmisibles/sida/planesEstrat/planMultisectorial.htm. Accessed on 12 September 2006.Google Scholar
Seidman, S.N., & Rieder, R.O. (1994). A review of sexual behavior in the United States. American Journal of Psychiatry, 151, 330–341.Google Scholar
Sherman, S.G., Gielen, A.C., & McDonnell, K.A. (2000). Power and attitudes in relationships (PAIR) among a sample of low-income, African-American women: Implications for HIV/AIDS prevention. Sex Roles, 42, 283–294.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Siegel, D.M., Klein, D.I., & Roghmann, K.J. (1999). Sexual behavior, contraception, and risk among college students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 25, 336–343.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thorburn, S., Harvey, S.M., & Ryan, E.A. (2005). HIV prevention heuristics and condom use among African-American at risks for HIV. AIDS Care, 17, 335–344.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tschann, J.M., Adler, N.E., Millstein, S.G., Gurvey, J.E., & Ellen, J.M. (2002). Relative power between sexual partners and condom use among adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 17–25.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
UNAIDS (2004). Report on the global AIDS epidemic. 2004. Available at: http://www.unaids.org. Accessed on 24 october 2005.Google Scholar
UNAIDS (2006). Report on the global AIDS epidemic. 2006. Available at: http://www.unaids.org/en/HIV_data/2006GlobalReport/default.asp. Accessed on 2 September 2006.Google Scholar
UNAIDS & WHO (2004). AIDS epidemic update: December 2004. Available at: http://www.unaids.org. Accessed on 24 october 2005.Google Scholar
UNAIDS&WHO (2005). AIDS epidemic update. December 2005. Available at: http://www.unaids.org. Accessed on 15 March 2006.Google Scholar
UNAIDS & WHO (2006). AIDS epidemic update: Special report on HIV/AIDS: December 2006. Available at: http://www.unaids.org. Accessed on 25 June 2008.Google Scholar
Wendt, S.J., & Solomon, L.J. (1995). Barriers to condom use among heterosexual male and female college students. Journal of American College Health, 44, 105–110.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Woolf, S. E., & Maisto, S. A. (2008). Gender differences in condom use behavior? The role of power and partner-type. Sex Roles, 58, 689–701.CrossRefGoogle Scholar