Forum for Nordic Dermato-Venereology Nr1,2019 | Page 13

Margret Lindberg, Magnus Lindberg, Ann-Britt Ivarsson and Annsofie Adolfsson – Attitudes to Risky Behaviour Among Young Adults
Treated for Chlamydia at an STI Clinic: A Qualitative Study
Table III. Meaning-bearings units, codes, categories, sub-themes and themes from the content analysis of the interviews
Meaning-bearing unit Code Category
Making first contact online, at parties,
pubs and bars, most often at a bar
Unknown contacts may entail risks that
could have negative consequences
Easier to make contact when intoxicated
and less inhibited
Easier not to use a condom to avoid a
debate about using one
Drug use not a factor in the sexual
relations of the participants Contact Sexual relations Contact with strangers Meeting unfamiliar people at a bar or online.
The resulting relationship is casual and the
parties will probably not meet again.
STI
Alcohol Judgement impaired
Condom use No motivation to
use condom
Deterrent effects
Drugs
Sub-theme
Theme
When alcohol is in the mix, judgement is
impaired.
Using condoms is embarrassing and
awkward.
Drug use was minimal among participants in Risk-taking in
the study, but more common in society.
sexual behaviour
STI: sexually transmitted infection.
“This superficial network is indeed a gamble and a crap shoot.
There is tremendous risk with this sort of hook-up.”
“Risk is not something you are consciously thinking about or
are aware of or even care about, but that is the nature of the
risk in sexual behaviour. It’s when your guard is down that
things can happen.”
Meeting someone at a bar is not the ideal way to get to know
someone, as both parties may be under the influence of alco-
hol. Many of the participants mentioned that the best way
to meet someone is through mutual friends or acquaintances.
However, they would forget their own advice and engage in
risky sexual behaviour or unprotected sex with strangers and
subsequently would often second-guess such actions.
“What was I thinking…”
This is the nature of sexual behaviour when alcohol influenc-
es inhibition. Everything is happening in the moment and
feelings are running on overdrive.
“It is what it is…it just happens. But before it happens I know
that it isn’t so smart.”
Most of the interviewees confessed that they do take risks.
People who are aware of risks and take them anyway are more
likely to accept the consequences of their risky behaviour.
Some of the participants exposed themselv–es to more risky
behaviour and some were inclined to take smaller risks, but all
were aware that they were taking risks and took them anyway.
they did not think the same way when they were drinking as
they did when sober. The sexual tension in such situations
involves a different kind of thinking or an absence of thinking.
They were aware of the risks, but took them anyway, recklessly
and in the heat of the moment.
“Risk is something that can exist but it doesn’t need to be
negative. The risk is a consequence of something. When talking
about risks, it is important to talk about the same thing.”
“You are seeking acknowledgement.”
Some of the interviewees explained that the riskier the be-
haviour that they were involved the more uncomfortable the
consequences could be. As one woman relates:
“It gets a bit dicey when you end up with somebody who does
not understand that when you say no…it means no.”
Some of the interviewees related that they had had sex with
people who were completely unknown to them and some also
had a very poor idea of how many sexual partners they had
been with in the last year.
“Several partners, I met only once.”
Other interviewees described “getting a high when taking
risks.” The interviewees might be more cautious in their ap-
proach to driving a car than to possibly getting infected with
chlamydia. In the back of their minds they would be ration-
alizing, thinking that the infection is curable with antibiotics.
“Antibiotics can cure a dose of chlamydia…”
The resulting relationship is casual and the parties will probably
not meet again When alcohol is in the mix, judgement is impaired
The interviewees explained that if, when they first meet a
person, they are inclined to trust their new contact, they will
see them as a lower-risk sexual partner. If they are unsure about
the person and get odd vibes from their potential contact, they
view them as a greater risk. Alcohol can influence this in the
opposite direction. The interviewees were very clear in that All interviewees drank alcohol and were well aware of the
risks with consuming alcohol. Only 3 of the 18 interviewees
felt that they had low alcohol consumption. Each had their
own rationale and reasons to justify their level of alcohol
consumption. Even those with a high level of consumption
were aware of the associated additional risks.
Forum for Nord Derm Ven 2019, Vol. 24, No. 1
D ermato -V enereology in the N ordic C ountries
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