Abstract

GONZALEZ-GARZA, Carlos; ROJAS-MARTINEZ, Rosalba; HERNANDEZ-SERRATO, María I  and  OLAIZ-FERNANDEZ, Gustavo. Profile of sexual behavior in 12 to 19 year-old Mexican adolescents: results of ENSA 2000. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2005, vol.47, n.3, pp.209-218. ISSN 0036-3634.

OBJECTIVE: To describe traits associated with sexual behaviors in Mexican adolescents, their knowledge about contraception, and factors associated with pregnancy and utilization of contraceptives during first sexual intercourse. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data from the Mexican National Health Survey 2000 (ENSA 2000) were analyzed. This study, conducted between September 1999 and March 2000, was a complex survey with a probabilistic, stratified, and cluster sampling design. The sample population included 15 241 adolescents 12 to 19 years of age. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and a chi-squared test for differences of proportions; also, logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios. RESULTS: A total of 69.2% adolescents reported knowledge of at least one contraception method; 16.4% of subjects reported having had sexual intercourse. Males initiated sexual intercourse earlier than females and only 37% of all adolescents utilized contraceptives during their first sexual intercourse. Logistic regression analysis showed that being male, having a higher education, having knowledge of at least one contraception method, and having initiated sexual intercourse at an older age, were factors associated with utilization of a contraception method in their first sexual intercourse. A total of 55.7% of sexually active female adolescents had been pregnant. Pregnancy among adolescents was associated with low educational level, sexual activity at early age, and to have sometime lived in free union. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of sexually active adolescents did not use contraception during their first sexual intercourse, rendering them at risk of unwanted pregnancies.

Keywords : awareness; contraceptive use; sexual intercourse; pregnancy; adolescence; Mexico.

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