ADOLESCENT SEXUALITY - THE GENDER-GAP

The aim of this paper is to determine gender differences as regards ad olescent sexuality, in order to improve the adjustment of prevention p rogrammes to boys' and girls' specific needs. Data were collected as p art of the Swiss Multicentric Adolescent Survey on Health. Anonymous q uestionnaires were distributed in school classes among a national repr esentative sample of about 9,300 adolescents (15 to 20 years old). Abo ut 45% of the total sample reported a previous sexual experience. Diff erences between boys and girls were identified by means of bivariate a nd multivariate analyses. A higher proportion of Swiss girls report in tra-family discussions about sexuality, having had a previous sexual e xperience, having sexual intercourse regularly, having had only one pa rtner, and using contraception regularly. A higher proportion of Swiss boys report positive attitudes towards condoms and using condoms regu larly. Variables independently associated with the occurrence of first sexual intercourse before 15 years old also show gender differences, notably as regards health behaviours and social adjustment. The findin gs suggest that prevention programmes should emphasize, among boys, re sponsibility in contraception and the need for protection in situation s of multipartnership, and among girls, a positive attitude towards co ndom use and an increased familiarity with condoms presented both in a perspective of contraception and prevention of STDs.