Objective:

to analyze systematic condom use by male university students.

Method:

A cross-sectional study carried out in two higher education institutions from Rio de Janeiro, with 661 sexually active students aged 18-29, who answered a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software through descriptive and inferential statistics, with application of Pearson's chi-square test.

Results:

The data show that young people are single (61.98%), heterosexuals (87.37%) and that they do not use condoms with steady (45.40%) or occasional (23.55%) partners. Marital status, sexual orientation, religious belief, use of alcohol and other drugs before the last sexual relationship, risk perception and past history of sexually transmitted infections are determining factors for condom use (p-value<0.05).

Conclusion:

Considering the characteristics inherent to youth and the sociocultural factors involved, it is noted that the students assume risk behaviors in the face of sexually transmitted infections with non-systematic condom use.

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