Cent Eur J Public Health 2016, 24(4):255-261

Awareness of HIV Transmission Risks and Determinants of Sexual Behaviour: Descriptive and Multivariate Analyses among German Nursing Students

Carolin Jacob1, Katharina von Lindeman2, Jörg Klewer3, Joachim Kugler1
1 Department of Public Health, Dresden Medical School, University of Technology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
2 Nursing College, Chemnitz Regional Hospital, Chemnitz, Germany
3 Department of Public Health and Health Care Management, University of Applied Sciences Zwickau, Zwickau, Germany

Background and Aim: Nursing students play a crucial role in sexual health education. Evidence suggests, however, that nursing students had several gaps in their knowledge of HIV transmission. This study investigates how nursing students in Germany assess the potential risks of spreading HIV in defined situations and which factors influence the self-expressed sexual behaviour patterns of these students.

Methods: A standardized anonymous questionnaire was administered to a sample (N=617) of nursing students in 2008 and 2013. The survey was conducted during lessons, resulting in a response rate of 100%.

Results: For 17.4% of the students, assistance with personal hygiene was associated with higher HIV transmission risk. Also, changing dirty linen (17.6%) and physical examination (14.1%) were also noted similarly risky. The average age of first sexual intercourse was 15.5 years and the number of lifetime sexual partners was 4.3. The higher the average number of lifetime sexual partners, the higher the likelihood to use condoms only sometimes or never (OR 1.11). Forty students reported an unintended pregnancy. The likelihood to be unintentionally pregnant was six times higher among students aged 25 years or older (OR 6.16).

Conclusions: The results clearly show that students overestimated HIV transmission risks in most of the situations encountered during health services provided by nurses, but overall sexual health behaviour indicated rather less risky behaviour. Nonetheless, the relatively high rate of unintended pregnancies is quite concerning. The findings underline the need for stronger integration of HIV and sexual education in the curricula of nursing schools in Germany.

Keywords: nursing students, HIV transmission risks, sexual behaviour, contraception, HIV test

Received: April 27, 2015; Revised: April 20, 2016; Accepted: April 20, 2016; Published: December 1, 2016  Show citation

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Jacob C, von Lindeman K, Klewer J, Kugler J. Awareness of HIV Transmission Risks and Determinants of Sexual Behaviour: Descriptive and Multivariate Analyses among German Nursing Students. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2016;24(4):255-261. PubMed PMID: 28095278.
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