Características de la primera relación sexual en adolescentes escolares de Ciudad de La Habana

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Abstract

Antecedentes: muchos de los problemas que se relacionan con la salud sexual y reproductiva que enfrenta el adolescente se vinculan con una iniciación temprana de la actividad sexual. Objetivos: determinar las características que se vinculan con la primera relación sexual en un grupo de adolescentes escolares de Ciudad de La Habana. Métodos: se aplicó un cuestionario autoadministrado a 1 675 adolescentes de 15-18 años de edad, estudiantes de la enseñanza preuniversitaria y politécnica, residentes de Ciudad de La Habana, agrupados en seis estratos. Se realizó el cálculo para decidir el tamaño muestral. Se obtuvo el consentimiento informado de los estudiantes y del Consejo de Padres. El cuestionario fue sometido a un estudio piloto. Entre las variables exploradas estuvieron: inicio de las relaciones sexuales, edad de la pareja, motivaciones y percepción de riesgo. Resultados: el 71,3 % de los adolescentes tenían relaciones sexuales. La edad promedio de su inicio fue de 14,3 años. Predominó una relación con su pareja de noviazgo. En los varones el motivo de inicio que prevaleció fue “deseos de probar” y en las hembras “estar enamoradas”. La gran mayoría de los adolescentes consideraron que tener relaciones sexuales a su edad constituye un riesgo. Conclusiones: la edad promedio de inicio de las relaciones sexuales en el grupo coincidió con los datos de otras investigaciones realizadas en países del área y en Cuba, las motivaciones para su comienzo difirieron de un sexo a otro y el hecho de conocer los riesgos no retardó el inicio de las practicas coitales

Translated abstract

Background: Most of the sexual and reproductive health problems affecting the adolescentes are linked to early sexual initiation. Objectives: To determine the characteristics of the first sexual relation in a group of adolescent students in the City of Havana. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was applied to 1,675 adolescents aged 15 to 18 years, who studied at polytechnical and high school educational systems and lived in the City of Havana , grouped into 6 strata. Estimations were made to decide on the sampling size. The informed consent by the Board of Parents and the students was obtained. The questionnaire was under a pilot study. Some of the screened variables were sexual initiation, age of the sex partner, motivation and risk perception. Results: 71,3 % of adolescents had had sexual relations. The average age at sexual initiation was 14,3 years. Sexual relations with the boyfriend or the girlfriend of the adolescent predominated. The prevailing reason for sexual initiation was “desire of trying out” in males and “being in love” in females. The vast majority of adolescents believed that having sex at their age was risky. Conclusions: The average age at sexual initiation in the group was comparable to that found in other research works conducted in Cuba and in the area. The motivations differeed between males and females. Knowing the risks did not lead to retardation of sexual intercourse initiation

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Patterns and correlates of sexual initiation, sexual risk behaviors, and condom use among secondary school students in Ethiopia.

Mesfin Mulatu, S Hailé, Rahel Adamu (2003)

This study explored the patterns and socio-demographic correlates of sexual initiation, subsequent risk behaviors, and condom use among secondary school youth across Ethiopia. A total of 1,102 students were selected on convenience basis from five urban schools (in Baher Dar, Dessie, Awassa, Jimma, and Dire Dawa) and surveyed about their sexual and preventive behaviors using an extensive questionnaire. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate statistical procedures. One third (33.3%) of the youth reported to have had sexual intercourse prior to the study. Mean age of sexual initiation was 15.3 (SD = 2.5) years. Two-thirds of the sexual initiations were unprotected and some occur with higher risk groups, including much older (15.5%) or casual/commercial sex partners (9.1%). Multi-partnered sex (52.7%) and sex with casual (30.4%) or commercial (25.3%) partners were the most commonly reported lifetime risk behaviors. Although 56.7% of the youth ever used condoms, only less than half of these used them regularly. On the positive note, 83.4% of the youth expressed intentions to use condoms in the future. Socio-demographic characteristics, particularly gender, location, and age, were significantly correlated with sexual and preventive behaviors. Implications of these findings to health education programs for youth are discussed.