Condom use in the context of romantic relationships: A study among university students from 12 universities in four Central and Eastern European countries.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the extent to which romantic relationship status influences condom use during vaginal, oral and anal sex among students from 12 universities in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania and Slovakia.

METHODS

A pilot study of 880 students from the ongoing Student Life Cohort in Europe (SLiCE) study. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to establish the effect of romantic relationship status on condom use during vaginal, anal and oral sex in the previous 30 days, while adjusting for participants' age, gender, use of alcohol and other drugs prior to sex, condom-carrying practices and number of sexual partners.

RESULTS

Of the total sample, 73.7% were currently engaged in a romantic relationship and their condom use during vaginal sex (p < 0.001), oral sex (p < 0.001) and anal sex (p = 0.003) was significantly associated with their romantic relationship status. Students who were not in a romantic relationship had the lowest odds of condom use. Use of alcohol or other drugs before sex was detrimental to condom use (odds ratio 0.5; p = 0.045) during vaginal sex. Condom use during vaginal and oral sex was lower among older students.

CONCLUSION

The need to target university students with more pragmatic sexual health risk reduction interventions that accommodate the role of romantic relationships on behavioural choices is justified.