Although Sweden invests a great deal of money and effort in prevention work, STIs are a major problem in our society. Young people are at high risk both when it comes to unwanted pregnancies and STIs and several studies have revealed that the condom use is quite low. Condom use is a complex issue. There are often several factors that interact and affect the decision to use or not use condom. The result in this thesis shows that young people have behavioral expectation to use condom, especially for anal sex and vaginal sex with a casual partner (both known and unknown). At the same time, the condom use is low irrespective of type of partner and type of sex. Approximately 20 % of the participants never used a condom during the preceding 12 months. Most of the participants said that reason for their use or non-use was based on partner evaluation. However, our participants indicate that there often is a deeper reason why they do not use condoms. Women talk about their male partner’s resistance against condom use. Men in the other hand mention the problem with fit and feel especially problems related to erection problems when they have been drinking alcohol. One of the most interesting findings is that the participants’ view of sex affected their condom use. Those with a relaxed view (e.g., did not connect love with sex and had had more sexual partners during the past 12 months) had fewer occasions of unprotected vaginal intercourse compared with the participants with a traditional view (e.g., often associated sex with vaginal penetration).The most important thing we need to do is increase ’men’s sense of responsibility and involve them in the prevention work. It is also important that the condom counseling is individualized. It is not enough to simply speak about condom use in general; instead we need to relate condom use to sexual practice and partner type but also to the individuals’ specific condom problem. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Epub ahead of print. Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 3: Manuscript.</p>

In Ethiopia the number of young people going to college is steadily increasing. This predisposes them to risky sexual behaviour which leads to unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortions and HIV. This study has aimed to determine the patterns of sexual practice and contraceptives use and risk behaviours among those students in central Ethiopia. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was employed. Data on sexual practice, knowledge and contraceptive use were collected from 327 college students. The data were cleaned, entered and analysed using SPSS version 20. The results revealed that despite their knowledge of the methods of safe sex, there are still considerable misconceptions regarding the effectiveness of contraceptives, their side effects and their proper use. In terms of the sexual practice reported by the respondents, 142 (43.4%) practised sex and 110 (77.5%) of respondents had used contraceptives at least once. The age of the respondents, the number of years for which they stayed in college and their fields of study were significantly associated with their sexual practice. In conclusion, a significant number of college students practised sex without using contraceptives to prevent pregnancy, and a considerable number of their partners disapproved of the use of contraceptives / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T12:51:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 celiaramin_dissert.pdf: 1563079 bytes, checksum: e9ef55e61a9de1a8cc8204aba266c2f5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-05-08 / The education of health professionals approaches several aspects such as their social role and care work, research and education; that is, they are educated to give support for all of the individual s needs. For a long time, I have been thinking about the practice of sexuality concepts among nursing students since they have to give instructions of the related issues as familial planning and STD/AIDS prevention; sometimes they are victims of their own setting. This transversal, exploratory, descriptive, quantitative study aimed at investigating among nursing students their knowledge, practice and sources of information on contraceptive methods and STD/AIDS. Moreover, it approaches some aspects of sexual-life practice as well as its consequence. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for collecting data. The results showed that the majority of the students had some information on this issue when attending high school period, especially on contraceptive methods as the use of condoms, pills and withdrawal method. AIDS was the most stressed subject among STD. Learning this subject was more effective when they attended graduation period, especially in the 4th grade during the class of Nursing in the Care of Transmitted Diseases. The sources that most contributed for their knowledge were the classes and related reading. They have had little information from their parents on this issue. They reported the initial age of 10 to 13 years recommended to start receiving information on contraceptive methods and STD/AIDS prevention. Condoms and pills are the most effective contraceptive methods according to them. The great majority of them showed a misunderstanding in relation to some contraceptive methods such as condoms and pills playing a role in the prevention of STD. Seventh seven percent of them have just started their sexual life; out of these, 45.7% in the age of 16 to 18 years. The majority of the students stated to know how to prevent STD, however some of them did not make use of this knowledge. The most used contraceptive methods were the combination of pills and condoms, and/or the single use of one of them. Some of them, who made use of pills and other contraceptive methods, without being the condoms, did not care about the risk of STD/AIDS contamination. Behavioral aspect was the greatest constraint between reason/emotion in relation to STD/AIDS prevention and unwanted pregnancy . The approach of this study is to provide better understanding on subjects related to human sexuality for the nursing students, therefore they will be able to work on these themes at hospitals, HBU (Health Basic Units) or at elementary or high schools. Without this learning either their professional activities or their own behavior in relation to sexual issues will be impaired. / A formação dos profissionais da saúde abrange diversos aspectos tais como o seu papel social e assistencial; de pesquisa e de educação, ou seja, são preparados para atender as pessoas em todas as suas necessidades. Há muito, venho refletindo sobre a interiorização dos conceitos sobre a sexualidade entre os acadêmicos de enfermagem, visto que, apesar de transmitirem conhecimentos à clientela sobre temas relativos a planejamento familiar e prevenção de DST/HIV/AIDS, algumas vezes têm sido as vítimas neste contexto.O presente estudo é do tipo transversal, exploratório descritivo com abordagem quantitativa, com o objetivo de investigar o conhecimento, uso e as fontes de informações dos métodos contraceptivos e prevenção de DST/AIDS, além de abranger o estudo de aspectos da vivência sexual e sua conseqüência. Para tanto foi utilizado um questionário semi-estruturado entregue as acadêmicas da 1ª a 4ª série do Curso de Graduação em Enfermagem da Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria das acadêmicas referiu ter recebido informações no ensino médio sobre métodos contraceptivos, principalmente sobre preservativos, pílula anticoncepcional e coito interrompido. A AIDS aparece como a DST mais abordada, o aumento do conhecimento ocorreu no decorrer da graduação, firmando-se efetivamente na 4ª série na disciplina de Enfermagem em Doenças Transmissíveis. As acadêmicas referiram como fontes que mais contribuíram as aulas e leituras específicas. A participação dos pais nesta educação foi incipiente. Acreditam que a idade ideal para se iniciar as orientações sobre métodos contraceptivos e DST/HIV/ADS está entre 10 e 13 anos. Citam como métodos contraceptivos mais seguros os preservativos e os anticoncepcionais orais. Há uma distorção e compreensão errônea por parte de muitas acadêmicas, que alguns métodos contraceptivos como os anticoncepcionais orais e injetáveis e o DIU contribuam em muito para a prevenção de DST. Setenta e sete porcento das acadêmicas já iniciaram a vida sexual, destas 45,7% na idade entre 16 e 18 anos. A maioria (97,8%) afirma saber como prevenir DST, porém nem todas fazem uso do conhecimento adquirido. Os métodos contraceptivos mais utilizados são a combinação de anticoncepcionais orais e preservativos, e/ou pelo uso único de um dos dois, sendo que, as que fazem uso somente da pílula e outros métodos que não a utilização do preservativo, se expõem ao risco de contrair DST/HIV/AIDS. A questão comportamental ainda é a maior barreira entre a razão/emoção dificultando a prevenção das DST/AIDS e gravidez não planejada. A abordagem desta pesquisa reside na perspectiva de inserção de estudantes de enfermagem como orientadores de temas relacionados à sexualidade humana, seja em hospitais, ambulatórios, UBS ou escolas do ciclo fundamental e médio. Entende-se que sem este preparo, tanto sua vivência profissional quanto seu comportamento serão prejudicados em relação à questão sexual e a reflexão sobre sua própria sexualidade.

Against a backdrop of feminist and social scientific research on sex, female embodiment, and normality this thesis aims to discern how young women, who in adolescence have learned that their bodies are developing in ways considered ‘atypical’ for the female sex, make sense of their bodies and their situation. In focus are the ways in which the women make sense of and negotiate female embodiment; how they, particularly in stories about their interactions with others, position their embodied selves; and how norms and beliefs about sexed embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility are strengthened and challenged in the interviewees’ sense-making. The data comprise 23 in-depth interviews with women who in adolescence have learned that they do not have a uterus and a vagina, or who have learned that they do not have two X chromosomes and have no, or non-functioning, ovaries. Through narrative and thematic analysis the thesis shows how the women’s sense-making can be obstructed by norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility, expressed through medical terminology and practice and in interaction with family, friends, and peers, as described by the interviewees. Concomitantly, as the thesis demonstrates, medical terminology can be experienced and function as a resource in the women’s sense-making. Diagnostic categories enable them to put the specificities of sex development into words and raise awareness about bodily variation. Furthermore, in their stories about others’ reactions to their bodies and about their experience and management of certain medical treatments, the women question norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility that were previously taken for granted. The complexity of the women’s sense-making is demonstrated through the ways in which the interviewees, on the one hand, align with norms about female embodiment, heterosexual practice, and in/fertility, and in which they, on the other hand, succeed in challenging the same. In this ‘juggling’ of reinforcement and resistance, the thesis argues, the women are found to expand rather than dismiss beliefs about female embodiment.  Thus, the thesis contributes with deepened knowledge about what it can be like to live with these specific conditions and with problematizations of how norms about female embodiment can be enacted and questioned. / Mot bakgrund av feministisk och samhällsvetenskaplig forskning kring kön, kvinnlig kroppslighet och normalitet syftar avhandlingen till att undersöka hur unga kvinnor, som i tonåren fått reda på att deras kropp utvecklas på ett sätt som anses ”otypiskt” för det kvinnliga könet söker förstå och skapa mening kring sin kropp och situation. Framförallt undersöks dessa kvinnors meningsskapande, hur de i sina berättelser positionerar sig i relation till andra, och hur normer och föreställningar om kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och in/fertilitet förstås, förhandlas, stärks och ifrågasätts i berättelserna. Materialet som undersöks utgörs av 23 djupintervjuer med kvinnor som i tonåren fått reda på att de antingen inte har någon livmoder och vagina eller att de inte har två X kromosomer och inga eller  icke-fungerade äggstockar. Genom narrativa och tematiska analyser visar avhandlingen hur kvinnornas meningskapande formas av normer kring kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och in/fertilitet, då de uttrycks i kvinnornas berättelser om sin situation i möten med andra och i relation till medicinsk praktik. Samtidigt, visar avhandlingen, kan medicinsk terminologi, specifikt diagnoser, och praktik utgöra resurser i kvinnornas meningsskapande som möjliggör för dem att sätta ord på och sprida kunskap om kroppslig variation. I kvinnornas berättelser om andras reaktioner på deras kroppar och om deras erfarenhet och hantering av specifika medicinska behandlingar utmanas vidare normer som kvinnorna tidigare har tagit för givet. Genom analysen framträder således komplexiteten i kvinnornas meningskapande då de å ena sidan anammar förgivettagna normer om kvinnlig kroppslighet, heterosexuell praktik och infertilitet och å andra sidan utmanar de samma. I detta ”jonglerande” av anpassning till normer och motstånd mot desammasyns kvinnorna expandera snarare än avfärda föreställningar om kvinnlig kroppslighet. Avhandlingen fördjupar därmed kunskapen om hur det kan vara att leva med dess specifika tillstånd och till att problematisera hur normer om kvinnlig kroppslighet kan ta sig uttryck och ifrågasättas.

Preferences for sexual arousal by overstated dominance and submission in sex is categorized as F65.5, sadomasochism, according to ICD, but this behaviour is called BDSM among the general public. The ground of these preferences could be ultimately biological. These preferences reflect behavioural strategy which enables to gain higher reproductive success. Men and women who were sexually aroused by a submissive partner had more male relatives than men and women with other preferences. Contrary to the women, the dominant men reported themselves as more attractive. Women who were aroused by a higher-ranking partner considered themselves more attractive. Sons of couples in which was hierarchical disparity had more siblings than sons of "equal" couples or couples with no hierarchical disparity. Daughters of hierarchically disparate couples had more brothers than daughters of "both dominant" partners. Concurrently, number and gender of offspring as well as self- reported attractiveness are likely to be criteria of the reproductive success in humans. It is also interesting that hierarchically disparate couples, without regard to gender of higher-ranking partner, reached higher reproductive success than "equal" couples. Individuals who preferred higher- or lower-ranking partner were also aroused by...

Preferences for sexual arousal by overstated dominance and submission in sex is categorized as F65.5, sadomasochism, according to ICD, but this behaviour is called BDSM among the general public. The ground of these preferences could be ultimately biological. These preferences reflect behavioural strategy which enables to gain higher reproductive success. Men and women who were sexually aroused by a submissive partner had more male relatives than men and women with other preferences. Contrary to the women, the dominant men reported themselves as more attractive. Women who were aroused by a higher-ranking partner considered themselves more attractive. Sons of couples in which was hierarchical disparity had more siblings than sons of "equal" couples or couples with no hierarchical disparity. Daughters of hierarchically disparate couples had more brothers than daughters of "both dominant" partners. Concurrently, number and gender of offspring as well as self- reported attractiveness are likely to be criteria of the reproductive success in humans. It is also interesting that hierarchically disparate couples, without regard to gender of higher-ranking partner, reached higher reproductive success than "equal" couples. Individuals who preferred higher- or lower-ranking partner were also aroused by...