Factors Associated With Self-Reported Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Postsecondary Students In Canada

Background: Despite major public health efforts in addressing the burden of disease caused by Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), the rates among young adults continue to rise in Canada. Postsecondary students generally fall within this age group and given their sexual activity rates, are at an increased risk to acquire an STI. This study aims to examine the prevalence and factors associated with acquiring STIs among postsecondary students in Canada. Methods & Materials: A secondary analysis of the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II-C Spring 2016 survey data was conducted. Of 43780 survey participants, those who reported being sexually active in the last 12 months (N = 28831) were examined for their demographics, sexual behaviour, alcohol and marijuana use, testing for HIV and HPV vaccination history. These factors were analyzed to help identify their possible association with acquiring an STI using logistic regression and multivariate modeling. Results: We found that 3.88% of the study participants had an STI, with the highest rates observed among females and individuals aged 21-24 years old. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that participants who engaged in anal intercourse within the past 30 days (OR = 1.634; 95% CI, 1.343 to 1.988), had four or more sexual partners in the last 12 months (OR = 4.223; 95% CI, 3.595 to 4.962), used marijuana within the past 30 days (OR = 1.641; 95% CI, 1.387 to 1.941), and had ever been tested for HIV (OR = 3.008; 95% CI, 2.607 to 3.471) had greater odds of acquiring an STI. Conclusion: The findings of this study emphasize that certain high-risk behaviours are strongly associated with acquiring an STI among postsecondary students. Thus, efforts to design and deliver relevant educational programming and health promotion initiatives for this particular population with an emphasis on increasing awareness of STIs and reducing risky sexual behaviours are of utmost importance.