The characteristics of sexual behavior and extent of condom usage among sexually active Croatians from Eastern Croatia.

Objective: To determine the extent of condom usage as a method of protection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among sexually active individuals obliged to present for periodical health examination at the Institute of Public Health for the Osijek-Baranya County, in Osijek, eastern Croatia.

Material And Methods: During February 2004, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted. The research tool was an unidentified 20-item questionnaire addressing the sexual behavior of study subjects and their partners and methods of protection from STIs. Descriptive statistics and χ(2) - test were used for data analysis.

Results: The response rate was 84.2% (278/330). A total of 278 subjects, 96 (34.5%) males and 182 (65.5%) females, 167 (60.1%) married and 111 (39.9%) single, mean age 31.3±8.4, age range 18-52 years were enrolled in the study. Study results revealed 22.3% (62/278) subjects to have had two or more sexual partners over the one-year period and the use of condom was reported by 40.3% (25/62) of those subjects.

Conclusions: The obtained results point to the need for additional education on protection from sexually transmitted infections and on risky sexual behavior, with special reference to the role of condom usage in the prevention of these diseases and their detrimental effects on the reproductive health of sexually active individuals.