%0 Journal Article
%T Sexual behaviors and their correlates among young people in Mauritius: a cross-sectional study
%A Yumiko H Nishimura
%A Masako Ono-Kihara
%A Jagdis C Mohith
%A Renaud NgManSun
%A Takayuki Homma
%A Ralph J DiClemente
%A Delia L Lang
%A Masahiro Kihara
%J BMC International Health and Human Rights
%D 2007
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1472-698x-7-8
%X We identified 1200 participants using two-stage cluster sampling. Demographic, social, sexual, and knowledge of HIV/AIDS data were obtained in face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire administered by trained interviewers. The prevalence of sexual behaviors was described in relation to gender, and the correlates of ever having had sex and nonuse of condom at last sex were analyzed using logistic regression.In the target population, 30.9% of males and 9.7% of females reported a history of sexual intercourse. Of the currently sexually active participants, 50.6% of men and 71.2% of women did not use condoms at their last sexual encounter. Logistic regression revealed that work experience and marijuana use were significantly associated with men's sexual experience, whereas being out of school and drinking experience were significantly associated with women's sexual experience. For both men and women, being Christian and visiting nightclubs were associated with having ever had sexual intercourse (P < 0.05). In addition, not using a condom at the first sexual encounter and lack of exposure to a nongovernmental organization (NGO) dealing with HIV/AIDS were associated with the nonuse of condoms at the last sexual encounter (P < 0.05).Young people in Mauritius are at risk of a future HIV epidemic because behaviors predisposing to HIV infection are prevalent among sexually experienced youth. A focused prevention program targeting young people should be reinforced as part of the National AIDS Control Program, taking into account the predictors of sexual behaviors identified here.Mauritius is an island country with a population of 1.2 million, located in the Indian Ocean about 900 km east of Madagascar. The country is noted for its current rapid economic growth and the cultural diversity of its inhabitants, who came from Asia, Africa, and Europe. Little information is available about the status of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on Mauritius and in the Indian Ocean region
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-698X/7/8