ERIC Number: ED638204
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 254
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3803-2570-7
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
An Examination of Previous Sexual Health Service-Seeking Behaviors and Intentions among a Sample of College Students Attending a Large Public Southeastern University
Megan Williams
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Alabama
College students experience negative sexual health outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unintended pregnancies. Increasing their use of clinical sexual health services may help reduce these poor outcomes. Currently, little is known about the sexual health service utilization of college students in Alabama or the factors that impact college students' use of sexual health services (SHS) in Alabama. The purpose of this project was to use Andersen's Model of Healthcare Utilization (AMHU) as a framework to explore previous seeking of (PSHS-SB) and intentions to use SHS in Alabama (ISHS) and determine factors associated with college students' use of SHS in Alabama. During spring 2023, 469 University of Alabama (UA) students were recruited for an online, self-report survey regarding sexual health services. The majority of students (82.1%) had sought a SHS in Alabama since they had been enrolled as a student at UA and most (67.2%) intended to utilize at least one SHS in Alabama in the next 12 months. Not considering Alabama as their home state (OR=0.044, 95% CI [02, 0.13]), having awareness of the SHS available in Alabama (OR=1.246, 95% CI [1.10, 1.42]), having a greater number of sexual partners (OR=11.401, 95% CI [3.65, 35.47]), and having had an STI symptom explained past seeking-behaviors of SHS in Alabama (OR=7.935, 95% CI [1.02, 61.96]). Identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) (OR=2.286, 95% CI [1.25, 4.20]), not considering Alabama as their home state (OR=0.094, 95% CI [0.05, 0.17]), not being insured by their parent (OR=0.372, 95% CI [0.15, 0.90]), having awareness of the SHS available in Alabama (OR=1.127, 95% CI [1.01, 1.26]), and having had an STI symptom (OR=3.561, 95% CI [1.50, 8.44]), contributed to intentions to seek SHS in Alabama in the next 12 months. The lack of utilization of SHS may be putting college students at risk of experiencing negative sexual health outcomes. Several factors uniquely impact college students' use of these services in Alabama. Health educators, clinicians, and college-health professionals should consider incorporating these factors into programming, health services, and awareness campaigns to increase sexual health service utilization by college students in Alabama. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: College Students, Sexuality, Health, Health Services, Help Seeking, Student Behavior, Intention, Health Behavior, Influences
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Alabama
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A