A profile of sexually active male adolescent high school students in Lima, Peru

Abstract

To document knowledge and attitudes regarding sexuality and sexual practices of male adolescent high school students in Lima, Peru, a self-administered, anonymous survey was completed by 991 male adolescents aged 12-19 as part of a School-Based Sex Education Intervention model. Questions concerned sociodemographic information; family characteristics; personal activities; knowledge and attitudes regarding sexuality; sexual experience; and contraceptive use. Knowledge related to sexuality was limited. Males tended to mainly discuss sexuality with their male peers (49.8%). Attitudes towards sexual activity and condom use were largely positive, although some males expressed ambivalent feelings towards the latter. Of the sample, 43% had ever had sex; age at first sexual intercourse was 13 years. While 88% of the sample would use condoms, 74% also gave reasons for not using them. Sexual activity was related to age, ever having repeated a grade, living with only one parent or in a mixed family, activities such as going to parties, use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, and viewing pornographic videos or magazines. Many male adolescents were at risk of causing an unintended pregnancy or acquiring an STD.

Adolescents Dealing with Sexuality Issues: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece

“…14 The initiation of sexual activity has been studied extensively around the world. In Scotland 74.8% of sexually active 13e14-year old adolescents have already been active before their 13 th birthday, 21 in Peru the earliest age of first intercourse was the 13 th year 22 and in Australia about one quarter of sexually active adolescents have been sexually active since the age of 13e14 years. 18 The mean age for the first sexual intercourse ranges between 13.7 to 16.9 years, 14,20,23,24 and is highly dependent on the study group (race, ethnicity, etc).…”

Adolescents can know best: Using concept mapping to identify factors and pathways driving adolescent sexuality in Lima, Peru

“…A large study with secondary school students aged 13–18 from nine cities found that 32 percent of males and 7 percent of females had ever had sex (Magnani, Seiber, Gutierrez, & Vereau, 2001). Studies in Lima demonstrated that between 37 and 43 percent of male adolescents and 6 and 13 percent of female adolescents are sexually experienced (Cáceres, 1999; Chirinos, Salazar, & Brindis, 2000;A.S. Quintana, 2002; Saravia, Apolinario, Morales, Reynoso, & Salinas, 1999).…”

“…Although existing studies on adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Peru provide important information on adolescents’ sexuality-related attitudes and experiences, they also reveal significant gaps in knowledge of adolescents’ own perspectives (Arias & Aramburu, 1999; Cáceres, 1999; Chirinos et al, 2000; Magnani et al, 2001;A.S. Quintana, 2002; Sebastiani & Segil, 1999; Yon Leau, 1998).…”

Práticas contraceptivas e iniciação sexual entre jovens de três capitais brasileiras

“…Os rapazes sexualizaram rapidamente os relacionamentos, sendo estes na sua maioria ocasionais, em geral com amigas, motivados pelo "tesão", embora tenham também relatado medo, padrão este observado em vários estudos 7,16,17,18,19,20 . É possível que a referência das mulheres ao amor possa ter sido influenciada pela alta proporção de entrevistadas que se mantiveram com o parceiro da iniciação sexual.…”