Aim: This work describes the sexual risk behaviour of nursing students.
Methods: 22 of 23 state-approved nursing schools in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, participated in this cross-sectional study (study period 7/2005-5/2006). Participation was voluntarily and anonymous.
Results: More male than female students (59.6% vs. 44.8%) used condoms to prevent STIs. More female students (58.9% vs. 43.4%) reported constant partnership with just one partner as an STI prevention method (chi² test, p<0.005). 29.6% of the nursing students reported >1 sexual partner in the past 12 months. 3.9% of the students demanded an HIV test from the partner, 69.3% had never tested themselves for HIV. 10.2% used no prevention against STIs.
Conclusions: Nursing students should be sensitised for sexual risk behaviour and STIs. This should be included in the content of teaching throughout the education, not least since nursing students are multiplicators and have an influence on health behaviour of the patients.
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.