Advisor(s)
Patricia Drentea
Committee Member(s)
Crystal Chapman Lambert
Elizabeth Baker
School
College of Arts and Sciences
Document Type
Thesis
Department (new version)
Social & Behavioral Sciences
Date of Award
1-6-2025
Abstract
Education is the most effective way to address unintended pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections (STIs). Education through preventative counseling has been negatively correlated with unintended pregnancies. Although research has shed light on the risks posing challenges to the prevention of unintended pregnancies, the consequential costs of these pregnancies continue to mount, both individually and societally. Birth control counseling corresponds with reducing the behavior of nonuse of contraceptives significantly. Education is thus associated with combatting inaccurate information passed along via primary social groups. To gain insight into the prevention of unintended pregnancies and STIs, data was gathered using a mixed-method approach incorporating a survey with 106 respondents and 11 in-depth interviews from a purposeful sample of participants who participate in the subculture of consensual non-monogamy (CNM) known as swinging. The study was promoted through several formats. The survey was conducted via Google Forms and interviews were conducted via Zoom using a semi-structured script with open-ended questions. Survey results and results from subsequent interviews were analyzed for themes. Within the survey and interview questions, care was taken to respectfully inquire about gender identities and sexualities. Findings indicate that being a female is positively correlated with having a talk about birth control and sexual orientation and is negatively correlated with male role norms and perceived barriers to condom use. Respondents and participants were more likely to be men, White, aged 45-54, and earn over $100,000. The endorsement of male role norms was positively associated with perceived condom barriers, however, the endorsement of sexual double standards that favor masculinity over femininity was not significantly associated with perceived condom barriers. In the interviews, participants discussed how they are treated by the health care system.
ProQuest ID
Recommended Citation
Ferguson, Deirdre, "Gendered Sexual Behaviors: Unintended Pregnancies, And Sexually-Transmitted Infections" (2025). All ETDs from UAB. 7238.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/7238
