Levels of sexual activity among students vary by gender, major

A survey of students from the University of Sydney in Australia recently showed that young adults in certain fields of study are more likely to have sex but are less educated about chlamydia, according to an article published in Mid-Day News.

Out of 185 students, the poll's findings indicated that female arts scholars were the most likely to be sexually active, while male science majors accounted for the majority of virgins, the news provider reported.

However, the most active undergraduates were also the least likely to be informed about the sexually transmitted disease (STD), the news source explained.

The newspaper quoted one of the researchers, who said that the disparity may be due to the trend of females having sex earlier than their male peers. He also said that science majors may spend less time in social settings because of their demanding class requirements.

These findings indicate that many young adults are susceptible to contracting STDs because they do not understand their risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals between the ages of 15 and 24 account for about half of the 19 million new STD cases reported annually.

Online testing services can provide confidential STD screening.