DENVER -- New research about the sexual activities and attitudes of students ages 18-24 is offering a positive look at what is really happening behind closed doors. The "Smarter Sex Survey," an online survey of more than 1,000 students, has surprising results: they take sex and monogamy seriously and more men than women in this age group say they are virgins. The survey also shows that most students know the basics of "safe and smart" sex (using both barrier and hormonal contraceptives to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy respectively), but there is still a need for more communication and reliable resources.

"The good news is that most students are making smart sexual health decisions. But we have identified areas where they need more information and open discussion," says Drew Hunter, executive director of BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network, the nation's only college peer education organization. "That's where we come in. If we can get students to truly know the facts, we believe we could see a further reduction in unintended pregnancy and STI transmission rates."

In an effort to provide college students with accurate information and encourage discussion about sexual health issues, BACCHUS and GAMMA has joined forces with Pharmacia Corporation, makers of Depo-Provera contraceptive injection (medroxyprogesterone acetate injectable suspension), to launch the Smarter Sex campaign. The campaign will include peer-to-peer programs on campuses across the nation, as well as http://www.smartersex.org/, a new online sexual health guide for students, educators and parents.

"The survey gives us insight into what young adults know and don't know about their sexual health," says Ellen Geisel, senior vice president of customer communications for Pharmacia Corporation. "We are proud to support BACCHUS and GAMMA in developing this important educational initiative."

The new web site, http://www.smartersex.org/, features information that college students can use to help manage of their sexual health safely and smartly. In addition to the latest information about sexual health, relationships, contraception and STIs, the Web site also includes interactive quizzes about contraceptives and STIs and a "Birth Control Matchmaker."

"From my experience as a peer educator, many students come to college without the basic knowledge they need to make good sexual health decisions. In fact, this survey found that one out of four students enters college without any formal sex education," says Jamie Haak, BACCHUS and GAMMA student trustee and peer educator at the University of Illinois. "SmarterSex.org is a great resource for subjects that may not have been discussed at home or in school and can help peer educators get students talking more openly about sexual health issues that affect our age group."

The survey found, while students scored highly on the basics of smart sex, their knowledge decreased when asked the specifics about certain topics. For example:

* When it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV

knowledge, young men and women score high on basics but still need

more important information.

-- More than half of the participants (62 percent) believe they can

tell if someone has an STI "just by looking," even though the two

most common STIs, chlamydia and HPV, may not exhibit any noticeable

symptoms.

* Students need more education about correct contraceptive use.

-- Most men (87 percent) and women (60 percent) say they know how to

use a condom correctly. However, three out of four women (73

percent) reported that they do not use a condom as a back-up method

when they have missed a birth control pill.

* Most 18-24 year-old students aren't engaging in frequent, casual sex.

-- About 34 percent of male survey participants say they have not had

intercourse, compared to 18 percent of female survey participants.

Students in this survey say they had intercourse with an average of

1.2 partners in the last year.

"A problem we see is that women and their partners don't always use contraceptives correctly or consistently -- which puts them at risk," says Margaret Bridwell, MD, OB/GYN, director of the University Health Center, University of Maryland and a BACCHUS and GAMMA board of trustees member. "With so many non-daily birth control methods available, such as Depo-Provera contraceptive injection, we hope that information on http://www.smartersex.org/ will encourage women to discuss with their healthcare providers what birth control options may be better suited to their lifestyles."

For the Smarter Sex Survey, 1,051 students (526 men and 525 women) ages 18-24 participated in an online survey and were asked to assess their knowledge about sexual topics, including contraception, STIs, relationships and date rape. The survey was conducted by Impulse Research, Los Angeles, on behalf of Pharmacia Corporation and results were analyzed according to gender and age. The Web site contains additional details about the survey.

Source: PRNewswire