Table 1 Comparisons of general characteristics between men and women among college students from South Korea in 2021 (N = 286)

Age (years)

Range (18 ~ 35)

22.19 ± 2.41

22.92 ± 2.50

21.45 ± 2.08

5.40(< 0.001)

18–20

80(28.0)

31(21.5)

49(34.5)

9.05(0.029)

21–25

188(65.7)

100(69.4)

88(62.0)

26–35

16(5.6)

13(7.6)

5(3.5)

Major category

Non-health-related

236(82.5)

121(84.7)

115(81.0)

0.46(0.498)

Health-related

50(17.5)

23(16.0)

27(19.0)

Religious

No

215(75.2)

114(79.2)

101(75.2)

2.48(0.116)

Yes

71(24.8)

30(20.8)

41(28.9)

Allowance (10,000 won)

Range (0 ~ 300)

49.66 ± 34.98

47.97 ± 30.62

51.39 ± 38.93

-0.83(0.409)

Residence type

Parent’s home

159(55.6)

72(50)

87(61.3)

6.05(0.109)

Self-boarding

70(24.5)

44(30.6)

26(18.3)

Dormitory

53(18.5)

26(18.1)

27(19.0)

Other

4(1.4)

2(1.4)

2(1.4)

Health behavior characteristics

Smoking

frequency

Not at all

229(80.1)

99(68.8)

130(91.5)

24.91

(< 0.001)

Past only

24(8.4)

18(12.5)

6(4.2)

Currently

33(11.5)

27(18.8)

6(4.2)

Alcohol drinking

(times/ month or week)

Not at all

≤ 1/month

2–4/month

≥ 2/week

28(9.8)

129(45.1)

90(31.5)

39(13.6)

8(14.1)

57(39.6)

51(35.4)

28(19.5)

20(13.9)

72(51.6)

39(27.5)

11(7.7)

18.95(0.002)

Sexual experience

Not at all

Past only

Currently

149(52.1)

75(26.2)

62(21.7)

58(40.3)

46(31.9)

40(27.8)

91(64.1)

29(20.4)

22(15.5)

16.38(< 0.001)

Contraception use

(n = 137)

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

5(3.6)

8(5.8)

20(14.6)

104(75.9)

2(2.3)

4(4.7)

12(14.0)

68(79.1)

3(5.9)

4(7.8)

8(15.7)

36(70.6)

18.14(0.001)