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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: amsilva@uhu.es
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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

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