rss
Sex Transm Infect 2004;80:130-137 doi:10.1136/sti.2003.006056
  • Public health

Perceived STD risk, relationship, and health values in adolescents’ delaying sexual intercourse with new partners

  1. C Rosengard1,
  2. N E Adler2,
  3. S G Millstein2,
  4. J E Gurvey3,
  5. J M Ellen3
  1. 1Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI, USA
  2. 2University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
  3. 3Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
  1. Correspondence to:
 Cynthia Rosengard, PhD
 Rhode Island Hospital, Division of General Internal Medicine, Multiphasic Building, First Floor, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA; Cynthia_rosengardBrown.edu
  • Accepted 16 September 2003

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the amount of time adolescents waited to have intercourse with past partners (main and casual), and intentions to delay with future partners. To determine psychosocial factors which predict delay intentions among adolescent males and females with future partners (main and casual).

Methods: Adolescent STD clinic attendees were approached before clinical appointments to participate in an interview. Data from 205 participants who had previous experience with both main and casual partners were used in the current study.

Results: Adolescents waited less time to have intercourse with most recent casual than with most recent main partners (χ2 = 31.97, p<0.0001). The amount of time waited with past partners was shorter than intended time to wait in future relationships (medians of 1 month v 2 months (main) (t = 3.47, p<0.0010; medians of 2 weeks v 1 month (casual) (t = 6.14, p<0.0001)). Factors influencing intentions to delay intercourse with future main partners differed by sex; males were negatively influenced by importance of sex in relationships, while females were positively influenced by importance of intimacy in relationships, perceived risk of STDs, and health values.

Conclusions: Implications for designing interventions for adolescent males and females are discussed.

Footnotes

    This Article

    1. Abstract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Responses

    1. Submit a response
    2. No responses published

    Register for free content

    The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

    Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.