Teenage sexuality: implications for controlling AIDS.

H Curtis, C Lawrence, J Tripp

Department of Child Health, Postgraduate Medical School.

A study on 761 teenagers aged 15-17 years showed that 56% of both sexes had had a steady or serious relationship. For about 40% of both sexes intercourse was a part of this relationship. Teenagers know how AIDS is transmitted, but only one third indicated personal concern about the epidemic. Only a fifth anticipate a single monogamous relationship. Significantly more girls than boys are planning to have fewer partners. Of these not anticipating monogamy three quarters mentioned the use of condoms. If education is to be effective in reducing the AIDS epidemic it must be sufficiently relevant to create and maintain changes in life style and must also educate teenagers before they have established patterns of behaviour.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Mellanby, A. R., Newcombe, R. G., Rees, J., Tripp, J. H. (2001). A comparative study of peer-led and adult-led school sex education. Health Educ Res 16: 481-492 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Boyer, C. B., Tschann, J. M., Shafer, M.-A. (1999). Predictors of Risk for Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Ninth Grade Urban High School Students. Journal of Adolescent Research 14: 448-465 [Abstract]  
• Hennessy, M. (1994). Adolescent Syndromes of Risk for HIV Infection. Eval Rev 18: 312-341 [Abstract]  
• Ryan, J. G., Fowler, G. C., Aday, L. A., Miller, S. M. (1993). Family Physicians' Support for School-Based HIV Prevention Education Programs. Arch Fam Med 2: 637-644 [Abstract]  
• Blum, R. W. (1991). Global Trends in Adolescent Health. JAMA 265: 2711-2719 [Abstract]  
• Bury, J. K. (1991). Teenage sexual behaviour and the impact of Aids. Health Education Journal 50: 43-49