© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Background: This study responds to the increasing rate of HIV/AIDS and unplanned pregnancies among Chinese college students from a sociocultural perspective, and investigates the influences of sociocultural factors in shaping sex-related beliefs and acts among Chinese college students.

Methods: An online survey was conducted on a purposive sample of 1286 female college students in four cities in east and west China.

Results: Significant east–west disparities have emerged in the rate of sexual intercourse experience, rate of safer sex, conservative sexual values, authority sex education, unofficial sex knowledge access and HIV knowledge. A higher rate of sexual activity, but lower rate of safer sex, were found among the students in the west relative to those in the east.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that in a large country, such as China, regional disparities in economy, social development and sexual norms are salient to affect individuals’ sexual behaviours.

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