Paper Title
Sexual Communication And Behavior Among University Students In The Northern Thailand

Abstract
The sexual behavior of adolescents is one of the problems in the current public health interest. The precise information in sexual behaviors among university students in Thailand was insufficient. The aim of this study was to assess university students’ sexual behaviors and their sexual communication to produce the baseline information and guideline for planning and implementing the prevention in the Northern of Thailand. Method— A cross sectional study was conducted among four hundred and fifty university students between August15 and October 15, 2017 in the Northern part of Thailand. The instrument used in this study was a self-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression was performed to find the association between sexual behaviors and general characteristic and sexual communication. Results—Overall, 42% reported that they have ever had sexual experience. The university students who were male (OR=1.64, 95%CI 1.03-2.60), living alone (OR=2.48, 95%CI 1.44-4.28), and drinking alcohol (OR=3.25, 95%CI 1.95-5.43) were significantly more likely to have sexual experience, whereas the university students with lower GPA were more likely to have ever had sex(OR=0.53, 95%CI 0.35-0.81). Half of the students had ever perceived the information and been counseled toward sex and the sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. The students who have communicated regarding the information from media (OR=0.44, 95%CI 0.19-0.99) and health professional (OR=0.39, 95%CI 0.15-0.97) and been counseled from their mother (OR=0.52, 95%CI 0.28-0.99) were less likely to have sexual experience. However, the respondents who had been counseled toward sex and the sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS were more likely to have sexual experience (OR=2.57, 95%CI 1.62-4.09). Conclusion and recommendation—The study highlights that media, teacher, and health professional become the significant role for students to perceive the information regarding sexual issue. These could be tailored for creating an appropriate program and promoting effective communication by merging with norm, trend, and innovation at the specific group level. Index Terms - Sexual Communication / Sexual Behavior / University Students