Use of birth control pills and condoms among 17–19-year-old adolescents in norway: Contraceptive versus protective behaviour?

Abstract

This article addresses the relationship between sexual risk behaviour and contraceptive behaviour, and considers whether adolescents who use condoms are practising birth control or STD protective behaviour. The material comprised a representative sample of 3000 Norwegians aged 17-19 years. Data were collected by anonymous self-administered questionnaires. The response-rate was 63%. At the first sexual intercourse 51% of the adolescents used condoms and 7% birth control pills. At the most recent intercourse 31% used condoms and 38% the pill. Use of the pill was widespread among adolescents with high coital frequency and few coital partners. Use of condoms was not particularly widespread among adolescents who reported a relatively large number of coital partners. Irrespective of the number of years they had been coitally active there was no significant difference between those who intended to use condoms at the next sexual intercourse and those who did not as regards their beliefs about condoms as protection against STDs, HIV and unintended pregnancies. The results from this study indicate that the majority of adolescents who use contraception do this for protection against unintended pregnancy and not for protection against STDs. The preference for the pill may make teenagers less prepared to practise STD protective behaviour in specific situations.

Family planning knowledge and practice among Nigerian women attending an antenatal clinic

“…The condom has recently come to the fore for its dual role of contraception and protection against sexually transmitted diseases, particularly in this era of AIDS. Condom use has therefore become a very important component of reproductive health management in the sexually active, particularly in people with several sexual parmers [13,14]. Unfortunately, condom use, as found in this study (12.7%), does not correlate with its relatively high awareness status.…”

Risk-taking behaviour is more frequent in teenage girls with multiple sexual partners

“…Neglect of contraception at the most recent intercourse and a history of multiple sexual partners were associated here, as also shown in earlier research [22,23]. Moreover, MP behaviour was significantly associated with ever-use of the withdrawal method and marginally with ever-use of emergency contraception, which would imply that experiences of unplanned coital events were more frequent in this group.…”

Sexual behaviour and early coitarche in a national sample of 17 year old Swedish girls

“…But our respondents had more often used oral contraception at the most recent intercourse than condoms, a finding in accordance with results from Norway. 26 Those who had had many partners did not use condoms more than those who had only had one or a few partners. This preference for the pill may make teenagers less inclined to practise STD protective behaviour.…”