Factors Influencing Early Sexual Initiation, Lifetime Partners and Condom Use among Male College Youth in Pune India

Rukmini Potdar, Livingstone College
Kristin Mmari, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

The study examines the factors that influence sexual behaviors among young, unmarried college males in urban India, a population characterized by high risk of transmission of HIV/STDs. Data collected from 900 unmarried male college youth examined the relationships between age at sexual initiation, number of sexual partners, and condom use at first intercourse and factors within the socio-ecological framework at the family, peer and individual-levels, during the respondents’ formative years. Regression analyses showed that experiencing violence in the home and having peers who drank significantly impact sexual behaviors. The mode of interview was also significant with the Computer Assisted Self Interview yielding highest reporting of sexual activity. These findings indicate that while family and friends can play an important role in the initiation of sexual behavior, in conservative urban college settings social stigma regarding premarital sex impacts the reporting of sexual behavior thus making actual prevalence of such behavior unknown.