Long-Term Consequences of Early Sexual Initiation on Young Adult Health

Kugler, Kari C.; Vasilenko, Sara A.; Butera, Nicole M.; Coffman, Donna L.

doi:10.1177/0272431615620666

Cited by 54 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…However, rates of these outcomes differ based upon age of first sexual intercourse. Findings support prior research suggesting that early initiation of sexual intercourse is associated with STIs and depression [1, 3, 4, 7], and that higher than average rates of negative outcomes are present in those initiating prior to age 16. This result was consistent for both lifetime and past-year STIs, suggesting that the increased risk was not solely a result of additional time to engage in sexual behavior with a greater number of partners, but may also reflect different patterns of adult sexual behaviors that result in STI acquisition.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…For example, early substance use is associated with early onset of sexual activity [31] and with future depression [32]. Research that has used stronger causal inference approaches found a causal effect of sexual behavior before age 14 on depressive symptoms in the next year and on STIs in young adulthood for girls, but found no effect on young adult depression [3, 7]. Future research could use causal inference approaches to better understand the effects of timing of sex at a wider variety of ages, though causal inference approaches in TVEM are an open area of inquiry and require more intensive data [21].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Timing of First Sexual Intercourse and Young Adult Health Outcomes

Vasilenko

Kugler

Exten

2016

Journal of Adolescent Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose To examine how age of onset of sexual intercourse is associated with past-year and lifetime sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and depression in young adulthood. Methods We examined how occurrence of a lifetime and past-year STI, lifetime diagnosis of depression, and past-week depressive symptoms differed as a function of age of onset of sexual intercourse using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health; N = 8,938 individuals). Time-varying effect models (TVEMs) were used to examine how age of onset, measured as continuous age, was associated with these outcomes in young adulthood, with all analyses stratified to examine gender differences. Results Individuals who engaged in first intercourse prior to age 16 reported higher than average rates of all outcomes studied; for example, an estimated 35% of women and 12% of men who initiated at age 14 reported a lifetime STI, compared to about 5% of those who initiated at age 24. Timing of first intercourse past the mid-twenties was associated with lower than average rates of STIs and lifetime depression diagnoses, but was associated with a somewhat higher level of past-year depressive symptoms. Patterns were similar by gender, although there was little difference in men's depression diagnoses by age of onset. Discussion Results suggest that sexual intercourse prior to age 16 may be associated with higher rates of STIs and depression. Findings provide support for comprehensive programs that both promote delay of first intercourse and provide safe-sex and psychological support for those who initiate early.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing of First Sexual Intercourse and Young Adult Health Outcomes

Vasilenko

Kugler

Exten

2016

Journal of Adolescent Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…When the two groups of sexual initiation were compared for their risky sexual practices using the multivariable logistic regression, male early sexual initiators had greater aORs of multiple sexual partners and group sex than female early sexual initiators did, as compared to female nonearly sexual initiators. These findings, consistent with previous reports [ 3 , 5 , 59 ], might be attributed to the sexual double-standard in unequal acceptance of liberal sexual practices between genders that traditionally favors males [ 10 , 60 , 61 ]. It is noteworthy that two-thirds of our participants with group sex experience were heterosexual, which seems to exceed the expectation given the conservative East Asian collective culture [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Early sexual initiation and risky sexual practices among alcohol- and tobacco-using young adults in Taiwan: mediation analysis of preceding-sex use of illicit drugs

Ting

Chen

et al. 2020

BMC Public Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background As early sexual initiation is increasingly common in East Asia, we examined its relations to risky sexual practices in alcohol- and tobacco-using individuals in Taiwan and evaluated whether the associations were mediated through preceding-sex use of illicit drugs. Methods Participants, recruited from alcohol- and tobacco-using adults aged 18 to 50 in Taipei through respondent-driven sampling (N = 1115), completed a computer-assisted self-interview covering questions on substance use and sexual experiences. In a subsample of 916 participants who had had sexual experience (median age 27), we examined the relations of early sexual initiation (< 16 years) to multiple sexual partners, casual sex, group sex, and rare condom use. Causal mediation analyses were conducted to examine whether illicit drug use preceding sex mediated these associations. Results Around 9.3% reported early sexual initiation and the prevalence of risky sexual practices ranged from 7% (group sex) to 47% (rare condom use). Early initiators had a higher prevalence of regular binge drinking, illicit drug use, and risky sexual practices. In the multivariable analyses, higher odds of multiple sexual partners, casual sex, and group sex were consistently associated with early sexual initiation, gender, and their interaction. Mediation through preceding-sex use of illicit drugs was found between early sexual initiation and the three risky sexual practices, with the proportions mediated ranging from 17 to 19%. Conclusions Early sexual initiators were more likely to engage in risky sexual practices and preceding-sex use of illicit drugs partially explained this relationship, calling for more attention to this population’s sexual health.

show abstract

“…Although the prevalence of sexual experience in Korean adolescents is lower than has been reported in data from Western countries, the growth in its prevalence is steep and steady for Korean society, which is strongly Confucian. Findings of previous studies have documented benefits of delaying intercourse, at least into the late teens and ideally into early adulthood [48,49].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of sexual experience among Korean adolescent: age-period-cohort analysis

Jee

Gyuyoung

2020

Epidemiol Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

OBJECTIVES:Since exposure to sexual content and early sexual initiation among adolescents have become serious social issues in Korea, an in-depth analysis of trends in the prevalence of sexual experience among Korean adolescents is necessary to project the trends and policies required for the next 10 years. The objective of this study was to identify the contributions of age, period, and birth cohort effects on the prevalence of sexual experience in Korean adolescents. METHODS:We analyzed age-specific, period-specific, and birth cohort-specific trends in the prevalence of sexual experience among 911,502 adolescents (469,593 boys, 51.5%; 441,909 girls, 48.5%) aged 12 years to 17 years from the 2006 to 2017 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Joinpoint regression analysis was conducted to examine significant changes in the prevalence of sexual experience and to find the optimal number and location of places where trends changed. RESULTS:The prevalence of sexual experience generally increased with age in all periods in both boys and girls. In boys, the prevalence of sexual experience increased in recent periods, especially in the age group of 12-13 years, while the prevalence of sexual experience decreased in the age group of 16-17 years. In girls, the age group of 12-13 years showed an increased prevalence of sexual experience in recent periods. However, the prevalence showed a decreasing trend in the age group of 16-17 years. CONCLUSIONS:In boys and girls, sexual experience increased with age, although this tendency has slowed in recent cohorts. Therefore, early sex education is needed.

show abstract

Long-Term Consequences of Early Sexual Initiation on Young Adult Health

Cited by 54 publications

References 44 publications

Timing of First Sexual Intercourse and Young Adult Health Outcomes

Timing of First Sexual Intercourse and Young Adult Health Outcomes

Early sexual initiation and risky sexual practices among alcohol- and tobacco-using young adults in Taiwan: mediation analysis of preceding-sex use of illicit drugs

Prevalence of sexual experience among Korean adolescent: age-period-cohort analysis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About