Factors influencing sexual risk behaviors among adolescents: A community‐based participatory study

Abstract

Pregnancy rates and unprotected sex among Thai adolescents continue to increase. The aim of this community‐based participatory study was to identify gender differences in sexual behaviors and sexual risk factors, and to examine factors associated with sexual risk behaviors among 397 adolescents in northern Thailand. Twenty two community researchers facilitated the data collection by using smart phones or tablet computers on a privacy basis. Ordinal and logistic regressions identified predictors influencing pre‐coital behaviors and sexual behaviors. The results showed that males were more likely than females to engage in pre‐coital and sexual behaviors. Significant predictors of higher pre‐coital behaviors were age, sexual refusal self‐efficacy, having boyfriends/girlfriends, authoritarian parenting style, parental approval of sex, and perceived peer norms. Pre‐coital behaviors were positively correlated with sexual behaviors, and significant predictors of sexual behaviors were age, parent–adolescent communication, parental monitoring, perceived peer norms, and type of school. To better address the sexual risk behaviors of adolescents, we need to include key stakeholders to develop multi‐modal culturally‐ and gender‐specific sexual‐prevention programs to account for information delivery, acceptability, and dealing with peer pressure.

Gender Differences in the Association Between Sexual Orientation and Risky Sexual Behavior Among College Students With Sexual Experience in Sichuan Province, Chinese

“…34 More attention should be paid to this phenomenon, especially in the context of China, where there is not enough formal and comprehensive sexual education and counseling for adolescents. Similar to previous findings, 19,35 our study also revealed the gender differences in terms of early sexual debut and having multiple sexual partners, indicating that male students are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior than female students.…”

“…Consistent with previous researches, 5,10 the findings of our study confirmed that the proportion of male sexual minorities was lower than female sexual minorities, which could be explained by gender inequality caused by cultural factors, gender roles, and power differences in gender relations. 28,29 The results showed that China's college students have a lower proportion of early sexual debut compared with other studies, 30 which may indicate the relatively conservative attitude towards sex among Chinese college students 31 However, a considerable number of Chinese students have sexual debut at an early age, which may bring negative health consequences to them, including unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. 32 Consistent with previous researches, 22,33 our findings showed that college students tended to have multiple sexual partners, which is a great risk factor for HIV/STD infection.…”

“…Condom use in the last sexual intercourse is surveyed according to global reports. 18 Early sexual debut is defined as a sexual debut occurring before the age of 17, 19,20 and having multiple sexual partners is defined as having had sex with more than one person during the three months before the survey. 21,22 Psychosexual Health.…”

Sexual Victimization, Self-Efficacy to Refuse Sex While Drinking, and Regretting Alcohol-Involved Sex among Underserved Youth in Kampala, Uganda

“…Self-efficacy to refuse sex is a strong protective factor against unwanted sexual activity and is a modifiable mediator between prior SV and risky sexual behaviors [ 28 ]. Self-efficacy to refuse sex includes maintaining the confidence and intention to refuse unwanted sexual encounters [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Diagnostic indicators of risk‐prone health behaviors in pregnant adolescents

“…Pregnancy in adolescence is a public health problem worldwide and nationally (Azevedo et al, 2015;Sama et al, 2017;Settheekul et al, 2019). For this reason, a specific target of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is that by 2030, adolescents will have universal access to sexual and reproductive health services (Mehra et al, 2018;World Health Organization, 2017).…”