ADOLESCENT CONTRACEPTIVE USE AND COMMUNICATION - CHANGES OVER A DECADE

Sexual experiences of 186 adolescents in 1979 were compared to those o f 215 adolescents in 1989 who were recruited from the same university to determine if there was an increase over the decade in ''safe sex'' practices. Self-reported condom use increased between 1979 and 1989 fo r very first intercourse as well as first intercourse with current par tner, although condom use was still far from universal. For other beha viors, there were sexual career changes (i.e., changes from first to c urrent partner) but not decade changes. The percentage of respondents using any method of contraception and the percentage who discussed con traception with their partner increased from first to current partner, but did not increase between 1979 and 1989. The very first intercours e with first partner remained especially troubling since contraceptive use was very low and discussions about contraception prior to sex wer e very infrequent.