| dc.description.abstract | Sexual risk-taking among young heterosexual adults is a significant source of STIs and risk of HIV. Therefore, efforts to understand the determinants of sexual risk-taking remain critical, and factors that contribute to sexual risk-taking have continued to receive research attention. In this context, alcohol use with sex is frequently identified as a potential factor that contributes to sexual risk-taking, and several studies have revealed that alcohol use with sex and sexual risk-taking often co-occur. This study aimed to assess how alcohol-use related sexual enhancement expectancies, sexual fears, and sexual health goal importance affect the association between alcohol use with sex and sexual risk-taking. Data for this study were obtained from an online survey designed to examine sexual behaviours and experiences among young heterosexual adults aged between 18-29 years, who currently lived in Australia (N = 180). Multiple logistic regression analyse showed that participants who reported consuming alcohol with sex were nearly two times more likely to engage in sexual risk-taking than participants who reported not to drink with sex. Contrary to what was predicted, alcohol use with sex did not increase sexual risk-taking more in individuals with high alcohol-use related sexual enhancement expectancies. However, results showed that individuals who believed that alcohol could enhance their sexual behaviour were more likely to engage in sexual risk-taking as a result of consuming more alcohol with sex. Furthermore, our results suggested that alcohol use with sex did not increase sexual risk-taking in individuals with more sexual fears or with stronger sexual health goals. Moreover, alcohol use with sex did not mediate the association between sexual fears, sexual health goals and sexual risk-taking. Several limitations of the study are discussed, as are implications for future research. | |
