Thuntuch Viphatphumiprathes. Meanings of sexual health among university students. Doctoral Degree(Population Education). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2009.
Meanings of sexual health among university students
Abstract:
The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the meanings of sex, health,
and sexual health among university students; 2) to study the turning points and
importance of these meanings for the university students; and 3) to study lifestyles and
experiences related to these meanings. The main data in this qualitative research was
collected through in-depth interviews with 28 university students in Bangkok, who
were divided into 3 groups, respectively characterized by their propensity for night
life, propensity for extra-curricular activities, and their membership of the honors
class.
The results revealed that: 1) among sexually experienced university students,
an acceptance of premarital sex with their lovers was one of the meanings attributed to
sex. Physical health was seen as important to them because it related to their daily
lives. The 28 university students’ meanings of sexual health showed that different
risks applied to the different groups in the study depending on experiences. Not every
group understood sexual violence because they thought they could protect themselves
from sexual violence by not having sex or by only having sex with known sexual
partners. The night life group had the highest risk in terms of STDs, HIV/AIDS, and
unwanted pregnancy because their protection methods were based on a concept of
sexual enjoyment in which condoms were not used, types of sexual partners, cost
saving on condoms, and misunderstanding about protection methods. In contrast, the
activity group and honors class group considered that sexual self-control, i.e. not
having sex, was the best protection method from any sexual health problem. Some of
the more sexually experienced university students in these two groups often used
condoms with their lovers because their sexual enjoyment was enhanced as condoms
gave them greater confidence in protection from unwanted pregnancy. 2) The
university students’ new meanings were the result of important turning points which
came out of their direct experiences. Each group considered sexual health less
important than sex and health themselves because they thought they were not at any
risk or did not face any problem about their sexual health. 3) Having self-control of
their lifestyles and experiences was an important condition in the development of their
meanings of sex, health, and sexual health.
The recommendations are that: 1) counselors should organize suitable
programs to address sexual health risks of each group; 2) counselors should increase
university students’ awareness of the importance of sexual health by recommending
that university students use their experiences as “the risk turning points of sexual
health” before problems occur, i.e. prevention is better than cure; and 3) counselors
should give them suitable and correct knowledge about protection methods to prevent
sexual health problems.