greater number of female students said they had intercourse with only one

constant partner as the method to protect them against STIs (47% vs 28%).

Among sexually active students, 4% reported that they have been medically

diagnosed as having a sexually transmitted infection.

There were many reasons why students did not always use condoms.  The

six most common reasons reported were; don t plan, single partner, loss of

sensation, impaired judgement due to alcohol, prefer other methods and

loss of spontaneity. Availability and cost were also issues for some.

Comparing the reasons between males and females, a higher proportion of

female students in comparison to male students said single partner or

preferred other methods were reasons for non use of condoms (Figure 11).

A higher proportion of males in comparison to females stated they don't

plan, that availability and cost were reasons for non use of condoms.  

Figure 11: Reasons for Non use of Condoms by gender

Don t plan

22

17

Single partner

13

23

Loss of sensation

13

10

11

Alcohol

9

7

Prefer other methods

12

Loss of spontaneity

10

9

Availability

7

4

Cost

6

3

Males

Females

0 5

10

15

20

25 

(%)

4.9 SUBSTANCE USE   TOBACCO, ILLEGAL DRUGS, ALCOHOL

4.9.1. Tobacco

One in four (27%) students reported smoking regularly or occasionally. The

average number of cigarettes smoked was seven cigarettes per day with

males smoking more than females and second years smoking more than

other years. The average number of years as a smoker was five years, with

male students smoking for a longer period of time than females and third

year male students smoking longer than others. The average age when

students started to smoke was 15 years. However, one in four students

waited until they were 17 years or older to start smoking (Table 15).

35