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New Zealand Sex Survey

While the problems of HIV infection and AIDS are well recognised across the community, few New Zealanders have made changes to their sex practices as a result, according to a survey by the Auckland School of Medicine's Department of Community Health.

Over 2,000 New Zealanders aged from 18 to 54 were asked about their partner relations to investigate patterns of sexual behaviour and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. The aim of the survey was to collect information that might be useful in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS in New Zealand.

Preliminary findings show that the majority of respondents were not particularly worried about getting HIV/AIDS and believed that they had little chance of contracting it. Consequently, few had made or planned any changes in their sexual behaviour. Those changes that had been made or planned, were mainly in the increased use of condoms and reduction in the number of partners.

"It is acknowledged that practices such as early sex, multiple partners and anal sex are subject to powerful social taboos and, as such, respondents may have underestimated or failed to supply fully accurate details," acknowledges research assistant Orly Jacobson. "However, documenting patterns of partner relations in New Zealand can provide a basis for future HIV/AIDS prevention and, for a better understanding of a little documented, but highly important, dimension of people's lives."

Analysis of demographic details showed that two-thirds of the sample were married or in a de facto relationship, and three-quarters had a regular partner. About 40% had only had one regular partner in their life. Of those with regular partners, 6% reported currently having other casual partners as well.

Nearly everyone surveyed had been sexually active at some time. Most sexual experiences had occurred by age 20, and intercourse or formation of the first regular partnership had occurred by age 25. Men and younger respondents tended to report a lower age for initial sexual experience and intercourse. Three-quarters had experienced intercourse in the previous four weeks and over a third of those had sex more than twice a week. Vaginal sex was the usual form of sexual activity; just over half reported ever experiencing oral sex and only 8% anal sex.

Variations in attitude and sexual practices were clearly marked by age. Younger respondents reported earlier sexual initiation and experience of more diverse sexual practices. They were more worried about getting AIDS than older respondents, and a significantly higher number of them used condoms as protection during intercourse.

Generally, condom usage was higher in the younger age group and amongst those with a higher educational background. More men reported using condoms than women, and they were more likely to be used with casual partners. For those men who had used condoms with casual partners in the previous four weeks, most reported that they had provided the condom, and the idea to use them had been shared with their partner. Whilst 19% of respondents had used a condom in the previous three months, 10% reported condom breakage or slippage in the previous year. Condoms were used more regularly when engaging in anal sex and during commercial sex.