Open AccessSurveillance of STI risk behaviour among young people attending a music festival in Australia, 2005–08
Author(s) -
Lim Megan S.C.,
Hellard Margaret E.,
Aitken Campbell K.,
Hocking Jane S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2009.00434.x
Subject(s) - casual , condom , demography , medicine , logistic regression , population , young adult , cross sectional study , sexual behavior , environmental health , gerontology , family medicine , clinical psychology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , materials science , syphilis , sociology , composite material , pathology
Objective:To explain rising rates of sexually transmitted infections it is necessary to monitor trends among high risk groups, such as youth. Surveillance of risk behaviours and testing among a variety of populations in different settings is required. We monitored self‐reported sexual behaviour among music festival attendees.Methods:Cross‐sectional studies of young people's behaviour were conducted annually at a music festival between 2005 and 2008 using self‐administered questionnaires. Logistic regression, adjusted for age and gender, determined trends in risk behaviours.Results:More than 5,000 questionnaires were completed. The proportion reporting multiple sexual partners in the past year remained stable from 2005 to 2008 and condom use with these partners increased. Reporting a new sexual partner in the past three months decreased, while condom use with new partners increased. Reporting a casual sexual partner increased and condom use with casual partners remained stable. Reporting a recent STI test increased from 23% in 2006 to 32% in 2008.Conclusions and Implications:Despite increases in STI notifications, most risk behaviours are decreasing in this group, possibly as a function of increased STI testing. Music festivals are a useful setting for monitoring behaviour trends within a sub‐population of young people at relatively high risk of STIs.