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| Recent Research for May 12 |
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Sexual Experience and Contraceptive Use Among Female Teens — United States, 1995, 2002, and 2006–2010 This CDC report examined trends in sexual activity and contraception use over time, finding that while fewer teens are having sex, those who are sexually active are likelier to be using highly effective contraceptive methods than teens in 1995. “To describe trends in sexual experience and use of contraceptive methods among females aged 15–19 years, CDC analyzed data from the National Survey of Family Growth collected for 1995, 2002, and 2006–2010 (3). During 2006–2010, 57% of females aged 15–19 years had never had sex (defined as vaginal intercourse), an increase from 49% in 1995. Younger teens (aged 15–17 years) were more likely not to have had sex (73%) than older teens (36%); the proportion of teens who had never had sex did not differ by race/ethnicity. Approximately 60% of sexually experienced teens reported current use of highly effective contraceptive methods (e.g., intrauterine device [IUD] or hormonal methods), an increase from 47% in 1995. However, use of highly effective methods varied by race/ethnicity, with higher rates observed for non-Hispanic whites (66%) than non-Hispanic black (46%) and Hispanic teens (54%). “
Human Papilloma Virus infection in sexually active adolescent girls.
In a sample of 149 sexually active female teens, 62 tested positive for HPV, and 25 of those tested positive for a high risk type of HPV. “Girls that tested positive for HPV had similar age at sexual debut with those that tested negative (15.1years in all groups) but had on average more sexual partners. Only 9 girls in this cohort had been vaccinated against HPV. Approximately half of girls reported using inadequate or no contraception.” Adds to a growing body of work that examines inadequate HPV vaccination. Intimate partner violence and sexually transmitted infections among young adult women
Researchers looked at National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data to determine if being in a violent relationship (as perpetrator, victim, or reciprocally violent) is associated with STIs and STI risk behaviors. Intimate partner violence was associated with lower condom use , multiple partners, and having an STI.
Effectiveness of a National Media Campaign to Promote Parent-Child Communication About Sex. An assessment of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Parents Speak Up National Campaign (PSUNC) to encourage parent-child communication about sex. They found that parents, specifically mothers, who were familiar with the campaign were more likely to have communicated with children about sex and more like to have recommended that their children “wait.”
Sexual Timetables for Oral-Genital, Vaginal, and Anal Intercourse: Sociodemographic Comparisons in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents Researchers examined data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (ADD Health) to determine at what ages young people engage in sexual behavior and demographic correlates of that behavior.
Beyond Age at First Sex: Patterns of Emerging Sexual Behavior in Adolescence and Young Adulthood This article also examined the ADD Health data to determine the timing of various sexual behaviors before loss of virginity. “Approximately half of respondents followed a pattern characterized predominately by initiation of vaginal sex first, average age of initiation of approximately 16 years, and spacing of >1 year between initiation of the first and second behaviors; almost one-third initiated sexual activity slightly later but reported first experiences of oral-genital and vaginal sex within the same year.”
Sexual Orientation and Substance Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults This study attempted to explore associations between substance abuse and sexual orientation. Researchers ultimately concluded that “sexual identity was less strongly associated with substance use than sexual experience and attraction were, pointing to the need for more nuanced indicators of sexual orientation in public health studies.” |
