Cross-National Trends in Early Sexual Initiation Among 15-Year-Old Adolescents, 2002-2022.

IF 2.6 3区医学 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

International Journal of Public Health Pub Date : 2025-03-11 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.3389/ijph.2025.1607711

András Költő, Kristina Winter, Rachael Maloney, Louise Lunney, Christiana Nicolaou, Alina Cosma, Margreet de Looze, Colette Kelly, Gina Martin

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives: We examined how the proportion of adolescents who engaged in early sexual intercourse (before the age of 14) changed between 2002 and 2022 across 37 countries.

Methods: Data of 15-year-old adolescents participating in the 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 survey rounds of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study were analysed (N = 312,702). We used uni- and multivariate multilevel binary logistic regression models to test whether rates of early sexual initiation changed over time. Country, gender, family affluence, parental support and the clustering effect of school were incorporated in the statistical models; linearity was tested by cubic and quadratic terms in the multivariate models.

Results: A significant but very small decline over time was found in early sexual initiation across survey years. Girls and less affluent adolescents had lower odds of early initiation. Parental support (and its interaction with time) also had a significant but small protective role.

Conclusion: Despite a small decrease over time, still 4% of participants reported early sexual initiation in 2022. Concerted and sustained efforts are needed to support adolescent sexual health.

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2002-2022年15岁青少年早期性行为的跨国趋势。

目的：我们研究了2002年至2022年间37个国家中过早发生性行为（14岁之前）的青少年比例的变化。方法：分析2002年、2006年、2010年、2014年、2018年和2022年参与《学龄儿童健康行为调查》的15岁青少年的数据（N = 312,702）。我们使用单水平和多水平二元逻辑回归模型来检验早期性行为开始率是否随时间而变化。将国家、性别、家庭富裕程度、父母支持和学校的聚类效应纳入统计模型；在多元模型中采用三次项和二次项进行线性检验。结果：随着时间的推移，在调查年份中发现早期性行为开始的显著但非常小的下降。女孩和不太富裕的青少年早期进入社会的几率较低。父母支持（及其与时间的相互作用）也具有显著但较小的保护作用。结论：尽管随着时间的推移略有下降，但仍有4%的参与者在2022年报告了早期的性行为开始。需要作出协调一致和持续的努力，支持青少年性健康。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Public Health 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

4.20

自引率

2.20%

发文量

269

审稿时长

12 months

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Public Health publishes scientific articles relevant to global public health, from different countries and cultures, and assembles them into issues that raise awareness and understanding of public health problems and solutions. The Journal welcomes submissions of original research, critical and relevant reviews, methodological papers and manuscripts that emphasize theoretical content. IJPH sometimes publishes commentaries and opinions. Special issues highlight key areas of current research. The Editorial Board''s mission is to provide a thoughtful forum for contemporary issues and challenges in global public health research and practice.