Age Of First Sexual Intercourse Research Articles

Sexual Behavior and Knowledge of AIDS among Female Trade Apprentices in a Yoruba Town in South-Western Nigeria

This exploratory study was carried out among unmarried female trade apprentices in Ikorodu, a Yoruba town in south-western Nigeria, to identify sexual risk behaviors, assess knowledge on HIV/AIDS, and recommend an appropriate AIDS education program. Four focus groups were conducted to gain insight into the social-cultural and economic factors influencing sexual risk behaviors, followed by a survey involving 280 randomly selected respondents. Findings showed that many group discussants approved of premarital sex and believed that sex with multiple partners occurred mainly because of the economic difficulties encountered by female apprentices. Most of the survey respondents (70.9%) were sexually experienced, with age of first sexual intercourse ranging from eleven to twenty-two years. One hundred and fifty-five (78.2%) were sexually active; of these, 37.4 percent said that their last sexual encounter occurred because they could not resist the pressure put on them by their male partners, were under the influence of alcohol, were in need of money, and raped. Sixty percent of the sexually active respondents did not take any action to prevent STD or pregnancy during their last sexual encounter. Of the fifty-eight who did, 37.9 percent used the condom. Of those sexually experienced (45.3%) have had at least one STD symptom in the year before, half of them did not do anything about their condition; 37 percent practiced self-medication or received injections from quacks. Although 70.9 percent had heard about AIDS, many had limited knowledge about the non-sexual routes of HIV transmission. Appropriate intervention strategies were recommended to educate the apprentices.

The Timing of Sexual Intercourse among Adolescents

Children's perceptions of their relationships with their parents and peers in 1976 and 1981, respectively, along with other salient antecedent variables, were related to their age at first sexual intercourse, as reported in 1987. Data came from the National Survey of Children, a three-wave longitudinal study of 1,145 children age 7-11 (Wave 1), 12-16 (Wave 2), and 18-22 (Wave 3). Antecedent variables were taken from both Round 1 and Round 2 surveys. When the same variables were present at both times, the more recent data were used if the survey occurred prior to age of first sexual intercourse; if not, the Round 1 data were used. Separate analyses were run to predict timing of sexual intercourse for males and females. Age of first date, dating often, number of friends perceived to have had sex at age 16, being Black, having parents undergo marital changes during the child's school years, and fighting at school were the most significant predictors of age at first sexual intercourse among males. All of these variables except fighting at school and dating frequency were significant predictors among females. Additional significant variables predicting age of first sex among females were menarche, parents' education, mother's coercive behavior and love withdrawal, and attitudes about attending religious services.

Sexual behaviour and sex education in Irish school-going teenagers.

The sexual behaviour and factors which affect such behaviour, source of knowledge and education about sex was assessed by means of an anonymous self-administered questionnaire among 2754 pupils (15-18 years) attending 40 (85%) second level schools in Galway City and County. The purpose of the study was to make recommendations in relation to a school sexual health education programme. Overall 21% of pupils had had sexual intercourse, with boys more than twice as likely as girls to have experienced this. The mean age of first sexual intercourse was 15.5 years, 72% reported having used a condom at first intercourse but of 475 pupils who had sexual intercourse regularly only 67% used condoms all the time with 33% using them sometimes or never. Over half reported that first intercourse was with a 'casual' partner and 35% and 9% respectively claimed that alcohol and non-prescribed drugs were a contributory factor. In relation to sexual risk beliefs, 72% believed that condoms used properly reduced the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and 78% knew that the contraceptive pill is not protective against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. While the level of knowledge regarding sex education was generally high over one-third of sexually active respondents had been involved in high-risk behaviour. A need for health education programmes which focus on behaviour change and assertiveness has been identified.

The impact of paternal alcoholism and maternal social position on boys' school adjustment, pubertal maturation and sexual behavior: a test of two competing hypotheses.

Two competing hypotheses concerning the effects of stressful environments on the onset of puberty were tested using longitudinal data for a sample of boys from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Paternal alcoholism and maternal social position were used as indicators of family stress. School placement was monitored from school entry to 14 years of age. Teachers rated the boys' disruptive and anxious behaviors, while the boys reported on parenting behaviors at 10 years of age. Pubertal maturation, age of first sexual intercourse and sexual behavior were assessed between 11 and 14 years of age. The prepubertal data indicated that boys with an alcoholic father, or a mother from a low social position, were more stressed and had more behavior problems: the boys with alcoholic fathers perceived their parents as being more punitive, and as setting fewer rules concerning their behavior; those who had at least one maladjusted parent were more often placed out of an age-appropriate regular classroom, and were rated more disruptive and more anxious by their teachers. Paradoxically, the results for the onset of puberty gave support to the two rival hypotheses. Paternal alcoholism led to a delay of male pubertal onset, as suggested by the hypothesis that stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and inhibits the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. However, sons of alcoholic fathers had more frequent sexual intercourse and more sexual partners, as suggested by the evolutionary theory of socialization. High maternal social position acted as a protective factor for school placement of boys with an alcoholic father. These results challenged a key hypothesis of the evolutionary theory of socialization for males. They indicated that the link between childhood family environment, behavior development, pubertal maturation and sexual promiscuity are more complex than anticipated.

Sexual activity before marriage in sub‐Saharan Africa

Throughout sub-Saharan Africa there is notable concern about the consequences of premarital sexual intercourse, such as illegal abortions and pregnancy-related school dropouts, and the potential risk of HIV infection. Using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, the authors investigated sexual activity among never-married women aged 15-24 in Botswana, Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, and Zimbabwe. While there are important cross-country differentials, in most countries the majority of unmarried adolescents have been sexually active. Contrary to the common belief that teenage premarital sexual activity is a new phenomenon caused by socioeconomic development, particularly Western education, the data show that in most countries sexual activity among unmarried adolescents was also common in the past, and that increases across cohorts have occurred mostly in countries where the prevalence was already high. For most countries, there is little support for theories claiming that education is associated with loose morals and high levels of premarital sexual activity. The findings highlight the importance of family-planning services for unmarried adolescents and of family-life education in primary schools to reach children before they become sexually active.

The Deteriorating Reproductive Health of the Pill Generations: A Need for Pre-conceptional Investigation and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Exogenous Hormone-induced Changes in Nutritional Status and Immunity

In this issue, Tuula Tuormaa reviews some of the adverse effects of genito-urinary infections on fertility and neonatal health (p. 351). Clinicians may be surprised that the majority of older stable-relationship couples are harbouring a variety of undiagnosed, yet treatable, infections. Women believe that their regular cervical cancer smear check will detect infection and indeed they are frequently given a vague diagnosis of inflammatory changes, vaginosis or dysplasia. Men with pus cells in their urine are treated for the equally vague condition of non-specific urethritis. Since 1987, I have been advising prospective parents of the value of full infection screens before they attempt conception. The results obtained from screening 114 couples, most of whom had histories of recurrent miscarriage or infertility, were presented at the Buxton Clinical Ecology Conference in 1990 [I 1. One in five men and more than 50% of the women had bacterial or mycoplasmal infections with some couples having up to six different organisms. Acute Chlamydia trachomatis was uncommon both in women’s endocervical swabs and in men’s urine, prostatic secretions and semen, but 45% of the women had raised serum antibody levels to Chlamydia trachornatis. The Chlamydia trachomatis antibody immunofluorescence test reveals past infection which, if still dormant in the Fallopian tubes, can flare up and become active during pregnancy or as a result of tuba1 patency investigations [2]. The Chlamydia psittaciLGV group complement fixation test can signal active pelvic inflammatory disease. Positive results in either test indicate the need for treatment with the appropriate antibiotics for 2 weeks although the immunofluorescence test does not become negative until several years later after therapy. Cervical lesions caused by recurring viruses often form a focus for persistent cervicitis or recurrent thrush. Singer has found that one in three women has a cervical lesion caused by wart viruses. Various types of human papilloma virus (HPV) can be detected by a polymerase chain reaction test. Malignant change is nearly always associated with HPV 16 [3]. If there is secondary infection of the viral lesion, contact with semen leads to the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines [4]. Cervical cancer tends to increase with age, sexual activity (earlier age of first sexual intercourse and number of partners), parity, social class and amount smoked [5]. An extremely important factor is exposure to exogenous sex hormones such as contraceptive pills; the net progestational effect suppresses maturation which “could make the cervical epithelium more susceptible to sexually transmitted agents” [6]. Lack of folic acid was the first nutritional deficiency to be linked with cervical cancer. Women with serum folate levels below 600 nmol - ’ are at five times the risk of cervical cancer if they have HPV infection. Folate deficiency causes chromosome breaks which may facilitate the integration of HPV into human genetic material [7].

Sexually transmitted diseases in children: adolescents.

Introduction Sexually active adolescents are the group at greatest risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections.' 2 The adverse sequelae that occur as a consequence of some of these infections are particularly devastating in the very young. Teenagers have their entire reproductive at risk and jeopardise their fertility by infection. Chronic viral infections with long latent periods may exert their influence at a younger age in those infected while teenagers. It is imperative that screening, treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in this age group are regarded as a priority. The increased vulnerability of sexually active adolescents to infection with STDs is likely to be multifactorial. There is good evidence to suggest that while males and females are reaching physical maturity at progressively younger ages,' psychological maturation has not been similarly advanced. This widening gap in physical and psychological maturation, coupled with the unplanned and experimental nature of early sexual encounters increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy and of acquiring sexually transmitted infections. Young people with poorly developed future time perspectives cannot conceive that today's romantic encounters could lead to tomorrow's demise.4 Studies which have examined safe sex practises among adolescents have found there to be a low rate of barrier contraceptive use and poor knowledge about acquisition and prevention of sexually transmitted infections.5 Early age of first sexual intercourse is associated both with an increased number of lifetime sexual partners and an increased risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases.' The age at which individuals first have sexual intercourse appears to be reducing. The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) examined sexual behaviour among 15-44 year old women in the USA and showed that the proportion of girls who had sexual intercourse by the age of 16 years was 4.6% in 1970 rising to 25-6% in 1988. This increase was most marked between 1985 and 1988. In addition, those adolescents who had sex at an early age were more likely to have many sexual partners.' While the data for adolescent males are less complete, they suggest that for each age cohort a higher proportion of boys than girls are sexually active.6 In women, the stage of physical maturation, may also affect their susceptibility to infection.7 The cervix has an important role in excluding infection from the upper genital tract, both nonspecifically by producing mucus which excludes various pathogens and antigens and by specific protective immune mechanisms, including humoral immunity, locally produced phagocytic cells and possibly cell mediated immunity.8 The enhancement of these host defenses occurs when ovulation begins (usually 2-3 years after the menarche). Cyclical progesterone is produced, promoting the defence role of cervical mucus. In addition, the squamo-columnar junction of the cervix lies on the ectocervix until several years after menarche, exposing the mucus-secreting columnar epithelium to potential pathogens. It is probable that this columnar epithelium is more susceptible to infection by N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis than squamous epithelium and possibly to infection by other sexually transmitted agents (including carcinogens) as well.2 Little is known of the immunology and defense factors of the female genital tract prior to, menarche or to the pubertal male genital tract.

Is Bacterial Vaginosis a Sexually Transmitted Disease?

The sexual behaviour of 400 women with and 400 women without bacterial vaginosis from a health screening programme was investigated by a questionnaire to see if women with bacterial vaginosis had similar behaviours to women considered at risk for STDs. These patients were randomly selected from computer records. Eight hundred questionnaires were distributed and 641 women answered. The age of first sexual intercourse was lower among women with bacterial vaginosis (17.8 years) than those without (18.6 years; P less than 0.001). Number of lifetime sexual partners was higher among women with bacterial vaginosis (P less than 0.001). Women with bacterial vaginosis smoked or had smoked more often. These results indicate that women with bacterial vaginosis have similar sexual behaviour to those at risk for STDs.

Alcohol, sex and risks of HIV infection

A complex association between alcohol consumption and sexual behaviour has long since been established. During 1985 a survey of 335 young adults was conducted in South East Scotland. Information was elicited about sexual behaviour, alcohol and other psychoactive drug use. The results indicate that amongst both males and females, age of first sexual intercourse was positively associated with age of first alcohol use, as well as with current use of tobacco and illicit drugs. Respondents who had consumed alcohol immediately prior to first sexual intercourse were markedly less likely than others to have used condoms or other forms of contraception. It is concluded that the use of alcohol and other drugs has clear relevance to unprotected sexual activities and the spread of HIV infection. Future health education should give due weight to this connection.

Physical Attractiveness and Sexual Activity of College Students

This study was conducted to ascertain the role attractiveness plays in the sexual behaviors of women. A convenience sample of 101 white female college students from a large midwestern university responded to an 18-item questionnaire on attractiveness and sexual behavior developed by the researchers; Cronbach alpha = .73. These women were also rated on their physical attractiveness by three male peers and categorized as attractive, average, or unattractive. The attractive and unattractive women's perceptions of their physical attractiveness were at variance with those of the three male raters, women rated average tended to rate themselves correctly. Attractiveness was not associated with the self-reported ages at which subjects began dating, the age of first sexual intercourse, or the quality, type, or frequency of contraceptive use. The attractive women were significantly more likely to engage in sexual intercourse and oral sex than either of the other two groups. Both the attractive and unattractive women had significantly more sexual partners than those rated average in attractiveness. Replication with a larger group is recommended.

Genetical, environmental and personality factors influencing the age of first sexual intercourse in twins.

SummaryA study of MZ and DZ twins suggests that cultural differences are less important than individual environmental experiences in determining the age of first sexual intercourse. Certain personality factors are found to be correlated with this trait and there is also evidence that genetical differences may predispose individuals to cross this threshold at an earlier or a later age.

Genetical, Environmental and Personality Factors Influencing the Age of First Sexual Intercourse in Twins

Genetical, Environmental and Personality Factors Influencing the Age of First Sexual Intercourse in Twins