Jorge Quiroz1, Erika E Atienzo2, Lourdes Campero2, Leticia Suárez-López2. 1. Escuela de Salud Pública de México, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. 2. Salud Reproductiva, Centro de Investigación en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the opinions of Mexican male adolescents regarding teenage pregnancy and analyze its association with sexual behavior. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire among a conventional sample of male students (15-19 years old) in eight public schools in Morelos and Mexico City. Analyses include multivariate models to identify the association between opinions and sexual behaviors. RESULTS: Overall, 68% agree that a teenage pregnancy is a negative event. In a hypothetical case, if a girlfriend got pregnant in this moment 56% would continue in the school whereas 18% would definitely abandon it. Those who affirm that a teenage pregnancy is something very bad have greater odds of using condoms (OR=1.8; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Male adolescents' views about teenage pregnancy are associated with some sexual behaviors; however their opinions reflect several contradictions. The design of surveys directed exclusively to explore male adolescents' opinions about reproductive health is urgent.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the opinions of Mexican male adolescents regarding teenage pregnancy and analyze its association with sexual behavior. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire among a conventional sample of male students (15-19 years old) in eight public schools in Morelos and Mexico City. Analyses include multivariate models to identify the association between opinions and sexual behaviors. RESULTS: Overall, 68% agree that a teenage pregnancy is a negative event. In a hypothetical case, if a girlfriend got pregnant in this moment 56% would continue in the school whereas 18% would definitely abandon it. Those who affirm that a teenage pregnancy is something very bad have greater odds of using condoms (OR=1.8; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Male adolescents' views about teenage pregnancy are associated with some sexual behaviors; however their opinions reflect several contradictions. The design of surveys directed exclusively to explore male adolescents' opinions about reproductive health is urgent.
Authors: Dolores Ramírez-Villalobos; Eric Alejandro Monterubio-Flores; Tonatiuh Tomás Gonzalez-Vazquez; Juan Francisco Molina-Rodríguez; Ma Guadalupe Ruelas-González; Jacqueline Elizabeth Alcalde-Rabanal Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2021-07-21 Impact factor: 3.295