Objective: College students, particularly first-year students, are at risk for alcohol misuse and alcohol-related consequences (e.g., condomless sex). Our objective was to determine if first- and second-year students were more or less likely to report any act of condomless sex under the influence of alcohol than third- and fourth-year students.…

Objective: Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease among young adults in the United States. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to evaluate herpes simplex virus knowledge among university students. Participants: 612 full-time undergraduate students. Methods: We gathered data on demographics, sexual activity, knowledge about the…

The United States has a higher rate of teen pregnancy than any other developed country with 30% of American girls becoming pregnant before the age of 20. Laws regarding the inclusion and content of sexuality education vary across the country, which are associated with differences in pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates between…

Objectives: To determine the impact of fraternity and sorority membership on condom use during sex. Methods: Utilizing data from The American College Health Association (ACHA) National College Health Assessment from 2016-2018, we estimated a linear probability, logistic, and instrumental variable model to determine the relationship between…

The present qualitative study is a part of the process evaluation of a complex intervention, the randomized controlled trial, "Prevention of human papillomavirus (HPV) in a school-based setting." We aimed to explore participating school nurses' perceptions and experiences of delivering the educational HPV intervention to adolescents aged…

Background: Sexual protective behaviors, such as consistent condom use and intention, are important preventative measures against the transmission of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. Current sexual health research has yet to explore the interaction between contextual factors, such as gendered racial microaggressions, and the role of…

Objective: Human papillomavirus vaccination coverage is suboptimal, especially among males. Social networks influence young adults' health behaviors and could be leveraged to promote vaccination. We sought to describe how young sexual minority men communicate about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination with their sexual partners. Participants:…

Harmful alcohol use and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are significant public health concerns for college students. Because alcohol use and condomless sex often co-occur in this population, alcohol-associated condomless sex has been identified as a target for behavioral interventions. Existing theoretical frameworks have not garnered…

Objective: To identify theory-based innovation characteristics associated with the adoption of consumer-based self-sampling methods for sexually transmitted infection screening. Participants: Guided by the Diffusion of Innovation, survey data from people assigned female at birth (AFAB) (n = 92) were analyzed. Methods: Forward regression models and…

Study One Background: This study sought to validate a new sexual assertiveness scale with college students in the United States. Sexual assertiveness is associated with safer sex and sexual satisfaction. Validating the new scale among students in the US is important, as sexual behaviors vary by country. Study design: College students at a Midwest…

The association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and subsequent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the potential effects of medications on STI risk remain unknown. In all, 5076 adolescents and young adults with ASD and 57,060 age-/sex-matched individuals without ASD were enrolled between 2001 and 2009 and followed-up to the end of…

Background: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a significant public health concern as more than 2.5 million infected in 2021, necessitating effective educational interventions to promote knowledge and safe practices. The study analyzes secondary data using SPSS. The dataset includes pre- and post-interventional data of KISS (Knocking out…

While most parents support their adolescents receiving school-based sex education, there is variability in which sex education topics receive the most support from parents. Conservative political orientation and greater religiosity have been independently associated with parents' lack of support for school-based sex education; however, no studies…

Community college women do not obtain the HPV vaccine at the same rate as university women. The aim of this study was to discover the perceptions of community college women in relation to the human papillomavirus (HPV) and associated cancers, the perceived barriers and benefits of obtaining the HPV vaccination, and how health behavior decisions…

Objective: Objective: Sexual promiscuity stigma constitutes a significant barrier which prevents young women from receiving catch-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations. Our objective was to explore how this stigma may be particularly detrimental to women in cultures of honor, where women are expected to maintain a reputation of sexual purity.…