being injured in comparison to females (39% males, 18% females). Taking the

most serious injury, students were asked to report where the injury happened

and what activity caused the injury.  For male students the most serious injury

occurred at a sports facility (49%). Among females, the most serious injury

occurred at home (26%) or on the street (23%). Across year in college, a

higher number of first and second year students reported an injury at a sports

facility, while a higher number of third years reported more injuries on the

street. This is not surprising, given that the highest sports participation rates

were among first and second year students. Sports training was the main

activity which caused the most serious injury to occur, followed by

walking/running, working, driving, biking and fighting. More male students

sustained an injury while participating in an organised activity/league, while

more female students sustained an injury while walking/running.  The

prevalence of serious injury was higher in the student population than in the

general population although the circumstances and causes of the injury were

similar

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.

The vast majority of students complied with the road safety measures of

always using a seat belt (82%) when in the front seat of a car and wearing a

helmet (86%) when riding a motorbike. However, only a quarter of students

always used a seatbelt in the rear of a car and only one in ten always wore a

helmet when cycling. In fact, the vast majority of cyclists rarely used helmets

(83% males; 75% females). Given that 71% of male and 45% of female

students reported using a bicycle, helmet use when cycling was very low. 

SEXUAL HEALTH

Almost three quarters of all students were sexually active with more males

than females.  The majority of students were 17 years or older when they first

had sexual intercourse.  More female students delayed the onset of sexual

intercourse in comparison to their male counterparts.  Students who were

sexually active were asked to identify what method they used to prevent

pregnancy when they last had sexual intercourse. By far the most common

method was condom use (71%), followed by the contraceptive pill (45%). One

in twenty students (5%) reported using withdrawal as a method to prevent

pregnancy and a further 4% used nothing.  A higher number of male students

used condoms in comparison to females.  Among female students who were

sexually active, 42% reported that they had used the morning after pill, an

emergency contraceptive.  To protect themselves from a sexually transmitted

infection (STIs), the majority of students used a condom (76%),  while others

reported having one constant partner (40%) and some (3%) used no

protection at all.  Again, as in pregnancy prevention, more males than females

used condoms while a higher number of female students said they had one

constant partner as the method to protect them against STIs. Among sexually

active students, 4% reported that they have been medically diagnosed as

having a sexually transmitted infection.   

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