A QUARTER of students catch an STI during their first year at university - and half are too drunk to remember who gave it to them



89% of students do not usually use a condom during casual sex

73% of students undertake most of their sexual encounters after drinking

60% of those who caught an STI contracted chlamydia, 18% herpes

The most promiscuous are Drama students - an average of 28 partners



67% of people who have had an STI would rather risk another one than use a condom



It is known as a time to let your hair down while at a safe distance from your parents.



But new research suggests many students are risking their health through irresponsible sexual habits.

Some 23 per cent of students admit to having caught a sexually transmitted infection during their first year alone, according to a new survey.

Nearly a quarter of students admit to having caught a sexually transmitted infection during their first year of university. The majority of encounters happened after drinking alcohol

The poll, rather ironically conducted by the website www.shagatuni.com, also revealed that 21 per cent caught an STI after their first year but before they finished their studies.

The research also revealed that theatre studies students appeared to be the most promiscuous, with an average of 28 sexual partners while at university.

The next most promiscuous are dance students, who have an average of 25 sexual partners.



Media studies students have an average of 22 sexual partners and biology students have 19.

WHICH STUDENTS HAVE THE MOST SEXUAL PARTNERS?

1. Drama/Theatre Studies - 28

2. Dance - 25

3. Media Studies/PR - 22

4. Biology students- 19

5. Philosophy and ethics - 17

6. English - 15

7. Sports science - 13

8. History of Art s - 13

9. Law - 11

10.Geography - 10



In contrast, law students have an average of 11 sexual partners during the time at university and geographers 10.

Worryingly, the survey of 2,177 young adults who had recently graduated found 89 per cent of students do not use condoms for the majority of their sexual encounters.

The poll, which only involved people who had remained single while at university, also revealed that 73 per cent of students were under the influence of alcohol when engaging in the majority of their sexual encounters.

More than half – 54 per cent – also admitted to being unable to recall who gave them their STI.

Of the respondents, 32 per cent said they found out about their infection after being contacted by someone they had slept with who had been diagnosed.

Another 27 per cent said they were only diagnosed after being given a free testing kit.

More than half of students who have had an STI - 54 per cent - admit to being unable to recall who gave them the STI

Nearly 60 per cent of students who caught an STI contracted chlamydia, 18 per cent caught herpes and 14 per cent genital warts.

Possibly the most worrying finding was that 67 per cent of respondents said they would rather risk another STI than use a condom.

In the past ten years, the number of under-25s being diagnosed with STIs had increased by almost 50 per cent.



Gonorrhoea rates are increasing particularly rapidly - they have risen by a fifth in the last year.



This is thought to be because of a new super-strain of the disease that cannot easily be treated with antibiotics.



A report by Public Health England shows there were 448,422 new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in 2012, including chlamydia, herpes and genital warts.



The total was up by five per cent on the previous year and 46 per cent higher than 2003, when figures were first collected.



Rates are highest among the under-25s, with nearly two-third of chlamydia cases, and more than half of gonorrhoea infections, occurring in this age group.



The Public Health England report states: ‘The continuing high STI rates in England suggest too many people are still putting themselves at risk through unsafe sex, especially young adults and men who have sex with men.’

It urges the under-25s to ensure they use protection with ‘casual partners’ and have regular checks at sexual health clinics.

