BACKGROUND: This study examines the prevalence of vaginal, oral, and anal intercourse among a population of urban, public middle school students, the characteristics of early sexual initiators, and the sequence of sexual initiation. Such data are limited for early adolescents. METHODS: A total of 1279 seventh-grade students (57.3% female, 43.6% black, and 41.8% Hispanic), mean age 12.5 years (SD = 0.63) from 10 middle schools in a large southeastern US public school district completed a cross-sectional survey using audio computer-assisted self-interviews. Main outcomes included lifetime and past 3-months' experience of vaginal, oral, and anal sex; condom use; age of initiation; and number of lifetime partners. RESULTS: Overall, 12.0% of students had engaged in vaginal sex, 7.9% in oral sex, and 6.5% in anal sex. Among students who had initiated intercourse, approximately two thirds were currently sexually active and one quarter reported > or =4 lifetime partners. Six percent had engaged in 1 type of intercourse, 4% in 2 types of intercourse, and 4% in all 3 types of intercourse; vaginal sex was typically initiated at an earlier or at the same age as other types of intercourse. Only 2% had engaged in oral sex without engaging in vaginal sex. Although black students were significantly more likely to have initiated sex compared to other racial/ethnic groups, Hispanic students who had initiated each type of intercourse were more likely to be currently sexually active and to have engaged in recent unprotected sex. CONCLUSIONS: A small percentage of early adolescents are engaging in multiple sexual behaviors. These findings have implications for early adolescent school-based sexual health education.
BACKGROUND: This study examines the prevalence of vaginal, oral, and anal intercourse among a population of urban, public middle school students, the characteristics of early sexual initiators, and the sequence of sexual initiation. Such data are limited for early adolescents. METHODS: A total of 1279 seventh-grade students (57.3% female, 43.6% black, and 41.8% Hispanic), mean age 12.5 years (SD = 0.63) from 10 middle schools in a large southeastern US public school district completed a cross-sectional survey using audio computer-assisted self-interviews. Main outcomes included lifetime and past 3-months' experience of vaginal, oral, and anal sex; condom use; age of initiation; and number of lifetime partners. RESULTS: Overall, 12.0% of students had engaged in vaginal sex, 7.9% in oral sex, and 6.5% in anal sex. Among students who had initiated intercourse, approximately two thirds were currently sexually active and one quarter reported > or =4 lifetime partners. Six percent had engaged in 1 type of intercourse, 4% in 2 types of intercourse, and 4% in all 3 types of intercourse; vaginal sex was typically initiated at an earlier or at the same age as other types of intercourse. Only 2% had engaged in oral sex without engaging in vaginal sex. Although black students were significantly more likely to have initiated sex compared to other racial/ethnic groups, Hispanic students who had initiated each type of intercourse were more likely to be currently sexually active and to have engaged in recent unprotected sex. CONCLUSIONS: A small percentage of early adolescents are engaging in multiple sexual behaviors. These findings have implications for early adolescent school-based sexual health education.
Authors: Susan R Tortolero; Christine M Markham; Melissa Fleschler Peskin; Ross Shegog; Robert C Addy; S Liliana Escobar-Chaves; Elizabeth R Baumler Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2009-08-18 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Donna K Lormand; Christine M Markham; Melissa F Peskin; Theresa L Byrd; Robert C Addy; Elizabeth Baumler; Susan R Tortolero Journal: J Sch Health Date: 2013-06 Impact factor: 2.118
Authors: Nam P Nguyen; Ly M Nguyen; Sroka Thomas; Bevan Hong-Ly; Alexander Chi; Paul Vos; Ulf Karlsson; Vincent Vinh-Hung Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Date: 2016-07 Impact factor: 1.889