Sexual Intercourse among Early Adolescents in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia: Survey using Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS)

Abstract

Background Sexual intercourse is a risky behavior among many earlier adolescents (10–14 years), some of whom might ultimately experience unsafe abortion. However, the prevalence of sexual intercourse among earlier adolescents in Indonesia is not known. Methods A cross-sectional behavioral survey was conducted from July to October 2019 among early adolescents who are prone to sexual intercourse (EAWAPTSI) in Semarang, Indonesia. A total of 180 EAWAPTSI aged 10–14 years old (115 boys and 65 girls) were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) in urban areas. A survey with the Open Data Kit (ODK) application was administered to the study participants. Results A total of 180 EAWAPTSI were enrolled, including original seeds. The majority of respondents were male and 14 years old. The RDS-adjusted sexual intercourse prevalence was 38.4% (95% CI: 27.8–49.1). The prevalence was higher among adolescents who were of older age, boys, enrolled in school, and under the care of their mother, had low parental education, discussed sexuality with their parents less frequently and agreed with this behavior at their age. Conclusions The conclusion of this study is that early adolescents have already been exposed to sexual activity. This finding suggests that education on healthy sexual behavior should be started before the age of early adolescence (10–14 years). Education should be comprehensive and address individual risk behaviors, not only to delay sexual debut but also to emphasize the importance of preventing sexually transmitted infections and adolescent pregnancy. In addition, parental involvement is needed. Therefore, it is necessary to increase communication about sexuality between children and parents.