SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR OF ADOLESCENTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE ADVENT OF AIDS

Objectives: To assess changes in sexual behaviour and use of contracep tive methods in Danish adolescents from the period before the advent o f AIDS up to the present. Design: Comparative study comparing data obt ained from two identical cross sectional surveys. Setting: Grenaa Gymn asium, Denmark. Subjects: 626 high school students in 1982 and 499 hig h school students in 1996. Methods: An anonymous standardised self adm inistered questionnaire handed out to high school students at Grenaa G ymnasium in spring 1982. In spring 1996 an identical questionnaire was handed out to every high school student at the same gymnasium. Main o utcome measures: Age at first sexual intercourse, contraceptive use, a nd reason for choice of contraceptive strategy. Results: Today more ma les had experienced the first sexual intercourse before their 16th bir thday (p = 0.047) compared with 1982. The reverse held for females (p = 0.003). From 1982 to 1996 condom use increased in males with no regu lar partner (p = 0.009). In females with no regular partner, there was during the same period an increase in considering the condom a person al contraceptive method (p = 0.017). In 1982 and 1996 protection from sexually transmitted diseases was given as reason for the choice of co ntraceptive strategy by 21% and 72% of males with no regular partner ( p < 0.001), and by 7% and 32% of males with a regular partner (p < 0.0 01). The corresponding figures for females in 1982 and 1996 were 10% a nd 71% (p < 0.001) for those with no regular partner and 4% and 21% (p < 0.001) for those with a regular partner. Conclusion: Condom use has increased among adolescents with no regular partner brought up under the widespread awareness of AIDS, and the reason for this is to be pro tected from sexually transmitted diseases. A future decline in the inc idence of various sexually transmitted diseases may be expected, and i nformation on safe sexual practices should be continued.