THE LEDGER-STAR
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 20, 1994 TAG: 9410200576
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
A survey of 1,225 University of Virginia undergraduates shows that 65 percent were sexually active last year and that of those, about 40 percent had two to five sexual partners.
The survey also found that 40 percent always used condoms, 23 percent usually did, but 36 percent ``never,'' ``seldom'' or only ``sometimes'' used condoms.
Such results could mean U.Va. students are taking risks.
``Students think they're not at risk'' of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus that leads to AIDS, said Elizabeth McGarvey, associate director of research and evaluation at the university's Institute for Substance Abuse Studies.
``They think only others are at risk. But it's just denial,'' she said.
The institute randomly sampled about 10 percent of the student population by mail. The survey allowed students to remain anonymous.
The survey asked about the HIV risk to other people who engaged in sexual intercourse without condoms. Most of the students responded that other people were at great or moderate risk. However, students underestimated their personal risk of getting HIV through unprotected sex, with half saying they were not at risk.
Some of that claim may be based on students having sexual relationships that they see as monogamous. ``They think monogamy is being faithful to the person they're currently sleeping with,'' McGarvey said. ``It seems that saying they're monogamous leads them to think they're not at risk, but if they've had two or three sexual partners over two years that is as risky as having the partners concurrently.''
The director of student health, Dr. James Turner, said he knows of only two HIV-positive students. Neither has developed AIDS. He said that based on national averages, there are about two HIV-positive cases per 1,000 people. That would mean there are about 30 to 40 HIV-positive students at the university.
Turner said 600 to 700 students take HIV tests every year, but the university has had no positive tests for the past three or four years. However, he said he believed students at a high risk for HIV may be tested anonymously elsewhere.
The survey found that about 36 percent of the students had no sexual partners; about 37 percent had one; about 13 percent had two; about 13 percent had three to five partners; and about 2 percent had six or more sex partners.
Of the sexually active students, 90.4 percent reported partners of the opposite sex, followed by 8.2 percent who reported having same-sex partners and 1.4 percent who reported either-sex partners. by CNB