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. 2017 Oct 15;7(10):e016779.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016779.

Early sexual experiences of teenage heterosexual males in Australia: a cross-sectional survey

Eric P F Chow  1   2 , Rebecca Wigan  1 , Anna McNulty  3 , Charlotte Bell  4 , Mandy Johnson  5 , Lewis Marshall  6 , David G Regan  7 , Louise Owen  8 , Julia M L Brotherton  9   10 , Catriona S Bradshaw  1   2 , Christopher K Fairley  1   2 , Darren Russell  11   12 , Marcus Y Chen  1   2 ; IMPRESS Study Group
Affiliations

Early sexual experiences of teenage heterosexual males in Australia: a cross-sectional survey

Eric P F Chow et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Objective: There are limited data on the patterns of early sexual behaviours among Australian teenage heterosexual boys. This study describes the nature and onset of early sexual experiences in this population through a cross-sectional survey.

Design: A cross-sectional survey between 2014 and 2015 SETTING: Major sexual health clinics and community sources across Australia PARTICIPANTS: Heterosexual men aged 17-19 years RESULTS: There were 191 men in the study with a median age of 19.1 years. Median age at first oral sex was 16.4 years (IQR: 15.5-17.7) and 16.9 years (IQR: 16.0-18.0) for first vaginal sex. Most men had engaged in oral sex (89.5%) and vaginal sex (91.6%) in the previous 12 months with 32.6% reporting condom use at last vaginal sex. Of the total lifetime female partners for vaginal sex reported by men as a group (n=1187): 54.3% (n=645) were the same age as the man, 28.3% (n=336) were a year or more younger and 17.4% (n=206) were a year or more older. Prior anal sex with females was reported by 22% with 47% reporting condom use at last anal sex. Median age at first anal sex was 18.2 years (IQR: 17.3-18.8). Anal sex with a female was associated with having five or more lifetime female sexual partners for oral and vaginal sex.

Conclusions: These data provide insights into the trajectory of sexual behaviours experienced by teenage heterosexual boys following sexual debut, findings which can inform programme promoting sexual health among teenage boys.

Keywords: Sexual behaviours; adolescent; first sex; heterosexual; sexual trajectory; teenage.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: EPFC has received educational grants from Seqirus and bioCSL to assist with education, training and academic purposes in the area of HPV. CKF has received honoraria from CSL Biotherapies and Merck, and research funding from CSL Biotherapies. CKF owns shares in CSL Biotherapies, which is the manufacturer of Gardasil. MYC has been the principal investigator on Merck Investigator Initiated Studies and received funding to conduct HPV studies under these programmes. CKF, CSB, DGR, JB, AM, DR, LM and LO are co-investigators on Merck Investigator Initiated Studies. All other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cumulative probability of teenage heterosexual boys and age at first oral, first vaginal and first anal sex with females.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Venn diagram illustrating the overlap of oral, vaginal and anal sex practices in the previous 12 months among 191 teenage boys.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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