TY - JOUR
T1 - Sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among Swedish high school students in two cities
T2 - comparisons between genders, study programmes, and over time
AU - Häggström-Nordin, Elisabet
AU - Borneskog, Catrin
AU - Eriksson, Mats
AU - Tydén, Tanja
PY - 2011/2/1
Y1 - 2011/2/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: To investigate sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among first-year high school students in two Swedish cities in 2009, to compare male and female students, students in theoretical and vocational study programmes, and their sexual behaviour with that reported in 1979, 1989 and 1999.METHODS: In a cluster sample of 20 classes, students (N = 387), median age 16 years, completed a questionnaire consisting of 46 questions.RESULTS: More girls than boys had experienced petting (p ≤ 0.003) and had received oral sex (p ≤ 0.01). More boys than girls had masturbated (p ≤ 0.0001) and watched pornography (p ≤ 0.0001). The median age at first sexual intercourse was 15 years. Students in vocational programmes were more sexually experienced compared to their theoretical peers. The proportion of students having had sexual intercourse (p ≤ 0.0002), and contraceptive use at first (p ≤ 0.0001) and latest (p ≤ 0.0001) sexual intercourse increased from 1979 to 2009. Alcohol use at first intercourse decreased over the period (p ≤ 0.0001).CONCLUSIONS: Girls were more sexually experienced than boys, as were students in vocational programmes compared to their theoretical peers; this should be considered when tailoring sex education and counselling. Over time, an increase in students having had sexual intercourse, and contraceptive use at first and latest sexual intercourse was found.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To investigate sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among first-year high school students in two Swedish cities in 2009, to compare male and female students, students in theoretical and vocational study programmes, and their sexual behaviour with that reported in 1979, 1989 and 1999.METHODS: In a cluster sample of 20 classes, students (N = 387), median age 16 years, completed a questionnaire consisting of 46 questions.RESULTS: More girls than boys had experienced petting (p ≤ 0.003) and had received oral sex (p ≤ 0.01). More boys than girls had masturbated (p ≤ 0.0001) and watched pornography (p ≤ 0.0001). The median age at first sexual intercourse was 15 years. Students in vocational programmes were more sexually experienced compared to their theoretical peers. The proportion of students having had sexual intercourse (p ≤ 0.0002), and contraceptive use at first (p ≤ 0.0001) and latest (p ≤ 0.0001) sexual intercourse increased from 1979 to 2009. Alcohol use at first intercourse decreased over the period (p ≤ 0.0001).CONCLUSIONS: Girls were more sexually experienced than boys, as were students in vocational programmes compared to their theoretical peers; this should be considered when tailoring sex education and counselling. Over time, an increase in students having had sexual intercourse, and contraceptive use at first and latest sexual intercourse was found.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adolescent Behavior
KW - Coitus/psychology
KW - Emigrants and Immigrants/statistics & numerical data
KW - Female
KW - Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Sex Factors
KW - Sexual Behavior/ethnology
KW - Students/statistics & numerical data
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
KW - Sweden
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.3109/13625187.2010.536922
DO - 10.3109/13625187.2010.536922
M3 - Article
C2 - 21138369
SN - 1362-5187
VL - 16
SP - 36
EP - 46
JO - European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care
JF - European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care
IS - 1
ER -
