Dual protection, contraceptive use and HIV risk among a sample of South African male and female students

The aim of this study was to investigate dual protection, contraceptive use and HIV risk in a sample of South African male and female university students. The final sample included only participants who reported to ever have had sexual intercourse (n=386, 94.6% of the 408 surveyed; 190 men, 49.2% and 196 women, 50.8%; median age 22years). Results indicate that 71% were protected from both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections the last time they had sexual intercourse, 8.8% using dual methods and 61.8% using a condom alone; 11.4% were protected from pregnancy only through the use of a non-barrier contraceptive, while 21% of the participants used no method at all. In multivariate analysis, higher education of the father, being married or in a steady relationship, multiple (casual and steady) sex partnership, having had a sexually transmitted infection, pregnancy risk experienced and higher HIV risk perception were predictors of dual protection (condom use alone or with non-barrier methods). Dual method use is low in this population and the use of contraceptive methods that offer protection against pregnancy and STIs/HIV is encouraged.