Family Practice Vol. 18, No. 3, 344
© Oxford University Press 2001
Sexual activity before the age of 16 years
Department of General Practice and Primary Care, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
Correspondence to Miss Hema Nair, Linden Lea, 13 Falmouth Close, Camberley, Surrey GU15 1EA, UK.
Walker and Townsend report that 48% of girls and 36% of boys report sexual activity before the age of 16 years.1 In June 2000, we conducted a small confidential questionnaire survey of sexual lifestyles among first year medical students attending a lecture at St George's Hospital Medical School. The aim was to investigate the age of first sexual intercourse, the circumstances surrounding it, and the subsequent feelings and reasons associated with it.
The response rate was 43% (32/75). This may refelect the sensitive nature of the topic. The mean age of respondents was 19 years (range 18–23). Fifty-six per cent of the respondents were female. Forty-seven per cent described their ethnic origin as white, 34% as being of the Indian subcontinent, 13% as Black-African and 13% as Chinese. Seventy-two per cent of respondents (23/32) had had sexual intercourse. The median age for first sexual itnercourse was 17 years (range 14–21) for both men and women. Only 22% (5/23) were aged less than 16 years on the first occasion. Ninety-one per cent of respondents (21/23) had used contraception. The main reason for having sex was because it seemed a natural follow-up in their relationship (10/30 responses), and most respondents were in a steady relationship at the time (12/23). In the majority of cases, both partners were equally willing (16/23) and, in retrospect, felt that the timing was about right. The mean length of the subsequent relationship for women was 6.7 months, while for men it was 9.1 months. The majority of women tended to have partners who were older than they were (85%), but no younger partners, while the majority of men had partners the same age or younger than themselves (80%).
Walker and Townsend state that young people tend to underestimate their probability of getting pregnant.1 In this small survey of highly educated students, it is encouraging to find that only a fifth were aged under 16 years at first sexual intercourse, and over 90% used contraception.
References
1
Walker ZAK, Townsend J. The role of general practice in promoting teenage health: a review of the literature. Fam Pract 1999; 16: 164–172.
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