Understanding heterosexual Chinese college students' intention to adopt safer sex behaviors

This study aimed to examine Chinese college students' safer sex behaviors a nd to explore whether or not the Theory of Reasoned Action would be useful in understanding AIDS/HIV-prevention behaviors of Chinese students. A total of 455 Chinese college students (161 males and 267 females) in Hong Kong p articipated in the study. Results revealed that 24% of the students were se xually active during the surveyed year, with only 38.2% of them reporting r egular condom use. About one third of the students intended to experiment w ith casual sex in the future, but only 64% would use condoms regularly if t hey were to have future casual sexual encounters. Results indicated that th e Theory of Reasoned Action was most applicable in understanding Chinese co llege students' intention to use condoms in future casual sexual encounters , rather than in current and future regular sexual activities. Specifically , students who intended to use condoms in future casual sex encounters tend ed to have accurate AIDS/HIV information, show little prejudice against peo ple with AIDS/HIV, demonstrate greater concern about contracting AIDS/HIV, feel confident in condom use, and have positive attitudes toward safer sex behaviors. Gender disparity, was also noted in the pattern of associations between safer stew behaviors and various psychological variables. Limitatio ns of the present study, and implications for future research were also dis cussed.