Prevalence of Sexual Initiation Before Age 13 Years Among Male Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States

Abstract

Key Points Question Does the prevalence of sexual initiation before age 13 years among males in the United States vary by race/ethnicity, location, and socioeconomic status? Findings This cross-sectional study of 19 916 male high school students and 7739 males aged 15 to 24 years found substantial variation in the rates of sexual onset before 13 years of age across metropolitan areas and by race/ethnicity, with rates as high as 28% among non-Hispanic black males in Memphis, Tennessee. Meaning Variation in timing of sexual initiation before age 13 years may have implications for the provision of early, inclusive, and comprehensive sex education as well as sexual and reproductive health care to male children and adolescents.

Parent, partner and individual contexts of very early first sex experiences among young men and their links to subsequent reproductive health outcomes

“…Study findings also indicate the importance of assessing early age of first sex as part of routine clinical care, particularly among male adolescents living in a similar social environment, as a marker for intervention and counselling services. The prevalence of first sex at 13 or younger in this clinic-based sample was similar to the recently published rates of early first sex that used metropolitan area studentlevel data of non-Hispanic Black male students in high school (range: 12% to 29%) and middle school (range: 20% to 40%) (Lindberg, Maddow-Zimet, and Marcell 2019). Findings in the current study that showed higher rates of subsequent involvement in a pregnancy contribute to a very small body of literature examining sexual risk outcomes of very early sex onset (O'Donnell, O'Donnell, and Stueve 2001).…”

“…brothers, cousins) (Hussen et al 2012) and that these older partners act as "teachers" about sex and influenced how and when sex occurred (Hussen et al 2012;Senn and Carey 2011). Few past studies have examined how consent for sex among male adolescents is obtained and whether sex at very young ages (13 or younger) for males is coercive (Lindberg, Maddow-Zimet, and Marcell 2019). In this study, nearly half of young men reported having mixed feelings about their first sex experience or did not really want it to happen; and one in ten reported being pressured by their partner to have sex, although no significant differences were observed in the proportion of young men reporting decision-making to have sex and sex wantedness by age of first sex at 13 or younger.…”

“…Measures concerning the context of first sex included in the study were based on prior work in this area (Heywood et al 2015;Kagesten et al 2016;Kinsman et al 1998;Lindberg, Maddow-Zimet, andMarcell 2019, Masho et al 2017;McBride, Paikoff, and Holmbeck 2003;O'Donnell, O'Donnell, and Stueve 2001;Ompad et al 2006;Ott, Pfeiffer, and Fortenberry 2006;Ryan, Manlove, and Franzetta 2003;Smith 1997;Wolfe 2003).…”

“…But, data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance System (YRBSS) indicates that male high school students (4.8%) are twice as likely as female students (2%) to initiate sex before age 13 (Kann et al 2018). Further, examination of YRBSS metropolitan level data among male high school students finds that the prevalence of reporting first sex before age 13 is highest among non-white students, ranging across metropolitan areas from 12% to 29% among non-Hispanic Black male high school students, 6% to 17% among Hispanic male high school students and 2% to 10% among white male high school students (Lindberg, Maddow-Zimet, and Marcell 2019). This apparent disparity of a higher proportion of urban minority male adolescents reporting that they are engaging in first sex at what might be considered a very young age calls for a better understanding of the sexual and reproductive health outcomes and contextual factors associated with Black young men who report very early first sex experiences, to assist in supporting their healthy sexual development and reducing exposure to associated risks.…”

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Male and Female Adolescents Before and After Kidney Transplantation: A Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium Study

“…This is the rationale behind the fact that the HPV vaccine is recommended to be given at 11-12 years of age, although it can be administered starting at age 9 (28). In the US, the proportion of males who reported having sexual intercourse before age 13 years varied from 5 to 25% across metropolitan sites (32), hence the need to vaccinate at a young age, designed to capture most teenagers before becoming sexually active. In our study, the onset of sexual activity was not assessed out of concerns that in a multisite trial, the investigators could not assure patient confidentiality relative to their parents/caregivers for all participants.…”