Page content follows

Trends in teen sexual behaviour and condom use

Abstract
Keywords
The data
Findings
Authors

Abstract

Results from the 1996/1997 National Population Health Survey and the 2003 and 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey suggest that the proportion of teens who have had sexual intercourse has declined. In 2005, 43% of 15- to 19-year-olds reported that they had had sexual intercourse at least once, down from 47% in 1996/1997. As well, the proportion of teens reporting that they had become sexually active before age 15 declined. About one-third of those who had had intercourse in the previous year did so with more than one partner. Condom use was reported by around three-quarters of sexually active 15- to 19-year-olds who had had multiple partners or who were not married or in a common-law relationship

Keywords

adolescent behaviour, coitus, contraception behaviour, sexual intercourse, sexual partners

The data

The prevalence of sexual intercourse and condom use and the number of sexual partners among 15- to 19-year-olds were estimated from the 1996/1997 National Population Health Survey (NPHS) cross-sectional file and from cycles 2.1 and 3.1 of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). [Full text]

Findings

Sexual intercourse at an early age, having multiple sexual partners, and unprotected sex put teens at risk of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and of unwanted pregnancy. Since the mid-1990s, some of these behaviours have become less prevalent, while the prevalence of others has not changed or has increased. However, trends differ by age, gender and jurisdiction. [Full text]

Author

Michelle Rotermann (Michelle.Rotermann@statcan.gc.ca; 613-951-3166) is with the Health Information and Research Division at Statistics Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0T6.