CONCOMITANTS OF HIV STD RISK BEHAVIORS AND INTENTION TO ENGAGE IN RISK BEHAVIORS IN ADOLESCENTS IN INDIA/

A total of 1230 year II and 12 anglophone college students, modal age 16 and 17, in three colleges in Mumbai (Bombay), India, were studied w ith regard to sexual behaviours or risk of sexual behaviours, beliefs about sex, HIV/STD Knowledge, and perceived norms regarding sexual beh aviours. Data indicated that 8% of males and 1% of females had had sex ual experience, but over one-third were not sure at all of being able to abstain from sexual activity with either steady or casual partners. However, perceived norms were slanted toward sexual abstinence for th e majority of the sample. Knowledge of the protective effects of condo ms was high, although half of those who had had sex did not use condom s. Logistic regression showed that knowledge was higher among males, t hose who believed it was OK to have sex with a steady partner and that they should not wait until they were older, those who believed that c ondoms should be used even if the partner is known, and those who beli eved it was acceptable to have multiple partners. Gender differences i n sexual activity and beliefs about sexual activity showed that males were less likely to believe in abstaining from sexual activity and to engage in it. We conclude that this age-group is appropriate for HIV/S TD reduction education given the low rate of sexual activity but that, despite knowledge of the importance of condom use, the social skills to apply this knowledge are lacking.