Premature sexual activity as an indicator of psychosocial risk (abstract)
DP Orr, M Beiter and G Ingersoll
Department of Pediatrics, Indiana
University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
Although unprotected premature sexual
activity is associated with well-defined biologic risks of sexually
transmitted disease and pregnancy, the concomitant psychosocial
risks are less well documented. The strength of association (odds
ratio) of coital status with other risk behaviors and feelings
was examined in 1504 junior high school students. Among the 12
through 16-year-old students, 63% of the boys and 36% of the girls
were nonvirginal (had had intercourse at least once). The proportion
of sexually experienced boys and girls increased with age. Nonvirginal
boys and girls were significantly (P less than .001) more likely
than their virginal cohorts to engage in other activities considered
risky. The odds ratios for nonvirginal youth ranged from 3.5 for
girls having used drugs other than alcohol or marijuana, to 10.4
for girls having used marijuana. Nonvirginal boys and girls were
also at significantly greater risk for engaging in minor delinquent
acts and having school problems. Nonvirginal girls (but not boys)
were 6.3 times more likely to report having attempted suicide.
The strength of associations with feelings was weaker. Nonvirginal
girls were at slightly greater risk for reporting feeling lonely,
feeling upset, and having difficulty sleeping. A significant proportion
of the students reported sexual experience and ever use of alcohol
or marijuana (45% of boys, 27% of girls). There were strong age
effects so that by age 15 years, 63% of the boys and 50% of the
girls reported experience with both activities. The data suggest
that early sexual experience among adolescents is associated with
other potentially health-endangering behaviors and that the syndrome
of problem behaviors is important in this age group.
Volume 87, Issue 2, pp. 141-147, 02/01/1991
Copyright © 1991 by The American Academy of Pediatrics
PMID: 1987525, UI: 91102018