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HIV Risk Perception Among College Students at a University in the Midwest

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Abstract

Despite the high prevalence of risky sexual behavior among college students, HIV risk perception in this population remains low. Overall, there is a dearth of studies examining HIV risk perception among college students. We examined HIV risk perception among college students at a University in the Midwest. Students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses were recruited for this pilot study (n = 200). The outcome of interest was perceived HIV risk perception. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were utilized to examine the association between HIV risk perception and four measures namely: perceived severity of/susceptibility to HIV, perceived benefits of safe sex, perceived barriers to safe sex and self-efficacy, measured using validated instruments. Overall, greater proportion of students perceived that they are not at risk of HIV infection (81.5 %). Participants had high scores for all measures, except for perceived barriers to safe sex [mean score (standard deviation) 24.5 (15.3)]. The multivariable model showed a statistically significant negative association between composite severity of/susceptibility to HIV/AIDS score and moderate perceived HIV risk (OR, 95 % confidence interval) (0.96, 0.93–0.99, p = 0.04). In addition, the odds of having moderate perceived HIV risk were higher among students who currently have a dating partner compared to students who currently do not have a dating partner (3.19, 1.24–8.18, p = 0.01). College level HIV prevention efforts should continue to address HIV risk. Additional research examining risk perception in a much larger, and more diverse, student population is needed.

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Acknowledgments

This study was sponsored by internal funding provided from the College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University Athens OH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, 6775 Bobcat Way, Room 450, Dublin, OH, 43016, USA

    Zelalem Haile

  2. Department of Social and Public Health, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University, Grover Center W347, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Caroline Kingori

  3. College of Arts and Sciences, University of Rio Grande, Wood Hall 217, Rio Grande, OH, 45674, USA

    Kay-Anne Darlington

  4. Department of Social and Public Health, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University, Grover Center W359, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Tania Basta

  5. Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, 6775 Bobcat Way, Room 454, Dublin, OH, 43016, USA

    Bhakti Chavan

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  1. Zelalem Haile
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  2. Caroline Kingori
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  3. Kay-Anne Darlington
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  4. Tania Basta
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  5. Bhakti Chavan
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Correspondence to Zelalem Haile.

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Conflict of interest

All the authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed using human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The Ohio University IRB reviewed and approved this research. The Board was able to provide expedited approval under 45 CFR 46.110(b)(1) because the research meets the applicability criteria 7 eligible for expedited review. Project Number 15X25. This approval is issued under the Ohio University OHRP Federal wide Assurance #00000095.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Haile, Z., Kingori, C., Darlington, KA. et al. HIV Risk Perception Among College Students at a University in the Midwest. Sexuality & Culture 21, 62–73 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-016-9380-z

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