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Table 1 Characteristics of the full sample and those who had and never had sex

From: Multiple sex partner behavior in female undergraduate students in China: A multi-campus survey

Demographic Variables

   

Variables

Full sample

(n = 4,769)

Ever had sex

(n = 863)

Test of signif

T-test or OR (95% CI)

Mean agea

20.35(SD = 1.49)

20.99(SD = 1.40)

14.10d

Nationality Han (vs. minority)

4,217 (88.43)

779 (90.27)

0.79(0.62–1.01)

Home location

   

   Eastern coastal regions

561 (11.76)

107 (12.40)

1.00(reference)

   Central areas

3,548 (74.40)

662 (76.71)

0.97(0.78–1.22)

   Western areas

660 (13.8)

94 (10.89)

0.71(0.52–0.95)c

Parents' economic status

   

   Poor

2,142 (44.92)

212 (24.57)

1.00(reference)

   Average

2,158 (45.25)

455 (52.72)

2.43(2.04–2.90)d

   Rich

469 (9.83)

196 (22.71)

6.54(5.18–8.24)d

Family, peer, and work variables

   

Parents' disciplinary style

   

   Strict

795 (16.67)

195 (22.60)

1.00(reference)

   Average

2,327 (48.79)

434 (50.29)

0.71(0.58–0.86)d

   Relaxed

1,647 (34.54)

234 (27.11)

0.51(0.41–0.63)d

Only one child(yes)b

1,954(40.97)

468(54.23)

1.93(1.66–2.24)d

Parents divorced(yes)b

264(5.54)

86(9.97)

2.32(1.77–3.03)d

Parents disapproving of premarital sex (yes)b

2,215 (46.45)

416 (48.20)

1.09(0.94–1.26)

Middle school close classmates and friends disapproving of premarital sex (yes)b

2,796(58.63)

472(54.69)

0.82(0.71–0.95)c

Middle school close friends falling in love (yes)b

1,338(28.06)

366(42.41)

2.22(1.91–2.59)d

Current close friends living with boyfriend (yes)b

397 (8.32)

224 (25.96)

7.56(6.10–9.38)d

Work at place of entertainment (yes)b

308 (6.46)

138 (15.99)

4.18(3.30–5.31)d

Current student variables

   

Major

   

   Literature and history

1,862 (39.04)

323 (37.43)

1.00(reference)

   Science and technology

1,167 (24.47)

157 (18.19)

0.74(0.60–0.91)d

   Medical science

985 (20.65)

118 (13.67)

0.65(0.52–0.81)d

   Art

755 (15.83)

265 (30.71)

2.58(2.13–3.12)d

Grade

   

   Freshman

1,373 (28.79)

103 (11.94)

1.00(reference)

   Sophomore

1,195 (25.06)

157 (18.19)

1.87(1.44–2.42)d

   Junior

1,309 (27.45)

361 (41.83)

4.70(3.71–5.94)d

   Senior

892 (18.70)

242 (28.04)

4.59(3.58–5.89)d

Academic performance

   

   Excellent

1,243 (26.06)

210 (24.33)

1.00(reference)

   Medium

3,018 (63.28)

546 (63.27)

1.09(0.91–1.29)

   Poor

508 (10.65)

107 (12.40)

1.31(1.01–1.70)c

Feelings in college

   

   Generally happy(yes)b

1,324(27.76)

236(27.35)

0.98(0.83–1.15)

   Average or ordinary(yes)b

1,523(31.94)

264(30.59)

0.93(0.79–1.09)

   Confused(yes)b

2,292(48.06)

437(50.64)

1.13(0.98–1.31)

   Depressed(yes)b

932(19.54)

195(22.60)

1.26(1.05–1.50)c

   Anxious(yes)b

591(12.39)

118(13.67)

1.15(0.93–1.43)

   Pressured(yes)b

1,328(27.85)

235(27.23)

0.96(0.82–1.14)

Score in sex-related knowledge a

42.58(SD = 12.99)

51.01(SD = 11.68)

22.12d

Approve/accept premarital sex (yes)b

2,837 (59.49)

790 (91.54)

9.83(7.67–12.59)d

Approve/accept multiple sex partners (yes)b

547 (11.47)

164 (19.00)

2.16(1.77–2.64)d

  1. a Independent-samples t-test. b Dichotomous variables with 0 (condition absent) as reference group. c p < 0.05 d p < 0.01