AGE-OF-ONSET OF SEXUAL-ACTIVITY IN YOUNG- PEOPLE - HAS IT CHANGED IN THE ERA OF AIDS

This article on the sexuality of adolescents (aged 16 to 20) presents results of a secondary analysis of Swiss studies completed on the subj ect between 1972 and 1992. The aim of the study was to follow up the e volution of three aspects of sexual behaviour since 1972 as a contibut ion to answering the following question: ''What influence have the AID S epidemic and the 'STOP-Aids' campaign had on the time of onset of se xual activity in young people!''. Three aspects of sexual behaviour ha ve been analyzed: 1. The proportion of young people who have already h ad sexual intercourse. This research shows that the percentage of sexu ally active 17-year-olds increased in the last 20 years for girls from 33% to 46% and for boys of the same age, from 23% to 51%. This increa se took place before 1987. Since then, the proportion of sexually acti ve young people of this age has not changed. 2. The number of life-tim e partners. In 1992, 28% of girls and 23% of boys aged 17 to 20 years had had more than 4 sexual partners. There had been no changes in thes e percentages since 1987. 3. The use of contraception. The use of cont raception during the first sexual intercourse has become more frequent . In girls aged 16 to 20 years it rose from 47% in 1976 to 76% in 1992 ; in boys it increased from 50% in 1976 to 76% in 1992. For 17- to 20- year-olds, condom use with an occasional sexual partner rose from 16% in 1987 to 69% in 1992. This study concludes that the continuing 'Stop -Aids' campaigns since 1987 have promoted regular condom use, but did not increase the sexual activity of young people and the number of lif e-time partners.