Analysis of Multiple Sexual Partners among 2665 Male College Students Who Have Sexual Behaviour in Zhejiang Province, China

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to understand multiple sexual partners and related factors among male college students who exhibited sexual behaviour to provide a scientific basis for formulating HIV/AIDS prevention measures among college students. METHODS: A stratified cluster random sampling method was conducted among 2665 male students who had sexual behaviour and were informed of the number of sexual partners from 13 colleges/universities in 11 cities in Zhejiang Province in 2018. Demographic characteristics, sexual attitudes, sexual behaviour, interventions, and related information were collected using a homemade online questionnaire. The chi-square test or univariate logistic regression in different groups was conducted for multiple sexual partners, and a logistic regression model was used in the related factor analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2665 college students who engaged in sexual behaviour were involved in the research; among them, 485 students (18.20%) had multiple sexual partners. The results of multivariate analysis showed that the participants whose sexual orientation was homosexual (adjusted OR = 4.10, 95%CI = 2.89 − 5.80), those who had received school education about HIV testing in the previous year (adjusted OR = 1.55, 95%CI = 1.20 − 1.99), those who had accepted one-night stands (adjusted OR = 3.29, 95%CI = 2.43 − 4.47), those who had accepted commercial sex (adjusted OR = 1.89, 95%CI = 1.44 − 2.48), and those who were very confident in a condom use measure of self-efficacy (adjusted OR = 1.78, 95%CI = 1.31 − 2.41) were more likely to have multiple sexual partners. The participants who were senior students (adjusted OR = 0.51, 95%CI = 0.31 − 0.84), those whose monthly living expenses were 1001-1500 renminbi (adjusted OR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.51 − 0.93), those who had known that “daily life and study contact cannot spread HIV” (adjusted OR = 0.59, 95%CI = 0.43 − 0.80), and those who knew that the CDC provides HIV testing (adjusted OR = 0.66, 95%CI = 0.46 − 0.95) were less likely to have multiple sexual partners. CONCLUSION: Multiple sexual partners were quite common among male college students who engaged in sexual behaviour. They had a separation of HIV/AIDS knowledge and action and a low rate of HIV testing. Further health education and intervention, including informing friends of strategies, are needed to guide students in correct sexual attitudes, safe sexual behaviour, and prevention of the spread of disease.