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An assessment of HIV/STI vulnerability and related sexual risk-taking in a nationally representative sample of young Croatian adults

An assessment of HIV/STI vulnerability and related sexual risk-taking in a nationally representative sample of young Croatian adults
An assessment of HIV/STI vulnerability and related sexual risk-taking in a nationally representative sample of young Croatian adults
Despite the recent increase in the number of HIV infections in Central and Eastern Europe, patterns of sexual behavior have not been extensively researched, particularly among young people. The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of HIV/AIDS-related vulnerability and sexual risk-taking among young adults in Croatia. Data were collected in 2005 using a nationally representative, multi-stage stratified probability sample (n = 1,093) of women and men aged 18–24 years. The focus in this article was on predictors of sexual risk-taking measured by a composite risky sexual behaviors scale. Using hierarchical regression models, we analyzed gendered effects of community, family, peer group, and individual level factors. For both men and women, peer pressure, sensation seeking, personal risk-assessment, behavioral intention, condom use at first sexual intercourse, and sexual victimization were significant predictors of sexual risk-taking behaviors. A number of predictors were gender-specific: sexual assertiveness and condom self-efficacy for women and parental monitoring, traditional morality, HIV knowledge, and talking about sex with partner for men. Documenting substantial prevalence of potentially risky sexual behaviors among young people in Croatia, the findings call for prevention and intervention efforts that should focus on individual capacity building for responsible sexual behavior.
0004-0002
209-225
Štulhofer, Aleksandar
69dcfe7d-0ad9-407c-a971-802d8d08503e
Graham, Cynthia
ac400331-f231-4449-a69b-ec9a477224c8
Božičević, Ivana
7e311ac9-6669-4fb9-9be8-782d602d2858
Kufrin, Krešimir
ca9d2a52-c8e6-433b-97f2-483aab3ab685
Ajduković, Dean
1008d831-76f1-430e-9a08-04ec3d45044e
Štulhofer, Aleksandar
69dcfe7d-0ad9-407c-a971-802d8d08503e
Graham, Cynthia
ac400331-f231-4449-a69b-ec9a477224c8
Božičević, Ivana
7e311ac9-6669-4fb9-9be8-782d602d2858
Kufrin, Krešimir
ca9d2a52-c8e6-433b-97f2-483aab3ab685
Ajduković, Dean
1008d831-76f1-430e-9a08-04ec3d45044e

Štulhofer, Aleksandar, Graham, Cynthia, Božičević, Ivana, Kufrin, Krešimir and Ajduković, Dean (2009) An assessment of HIV/STI vulnerability and related sexual risk-taking in a nationally representative sample of young Croatian adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38 (2), 209-225. (doi:10.1007/s10508-007-9234-8).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Despite the recent increase in the number of HIV infections in Central and Eastern Europe, patterns of sexual behavior have not been extensively researched, particularly among young people. The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of HIV/AIDS-related vulnerability and sexual risk-taking among young adults in Croatia. Data were collected in 2005 using a nationally representative, multi-stage stratified probability sample (n = 1,093) of women and men aged 18–24 years. The focus in this article was on predictors of sexual risk-taking measured by a composite risky sexual behaviors scale. Using hierarchical regression models, we analyzed gendered effects of community, family, peer group, and individual level factors. For both men and women, peer pressure, sensation seeking, personal risk-assessment, behavioral intention, condom use at first sexual intercourse, and sexual victimization were significant predictors of sexual risk-taking behaviors. A number of predictors were gender-specific: sexual assertiveness and condom self-efficacy for women and parental monitoring, traditional morality, HIV knowledge, and talking about sex with partner for men. Documenting substantial prevalence of potentially risky sexual behaviors among young people in Croatia, the findings call for prevention and intervention efforts that should focus on individual capacity building for responsible sexual behavior.

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Published date: 2009
Organisations: Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 206735
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/206735
ISSN: 0004-0002
PURE UUID: c1991e8b-6a55-459e-aba0-eb3db28f6700
ORCID for Cynthia Graham: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7884-599X

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Date deposited: 10 Jan 2012 17:41
Last modified: 21 Mar 2024 02:47

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Contributors

Author: Aleksandar Štulhofer
Author: Cynthia Graham ORCID iD
Author: Ivana Božičević
Author: Krešimir Kufrin
Author: Dean Ajduković

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