Sexuality and contraception in adolescents from Barcelona, Spain.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the sexual behavior and contraception use among a sample of high school and vocational school adolescents in Barcelona, Spain.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
A random sample of 3139 students, aged 14 to 19 years, living in the city of Barcelona, were surveyed by means of an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. SPSS/PC+ was used for statistical analysis. Significance criterion was set at 0.01.


RESULTS
13% of the students had previously participated in sexual intercourse; percentages between the sexes was equal. Frequency increased with age. Boys had their first experience at a significantly earlier age, but girls participated in sexual intercourse more often. The majority of adolescents used condoms as their primary contraceptive method; seven (3.3%) of the sexually active girls had been pregnant, and two (1%) boys had caused their partners to become pregnant.


CONCLUSIONS
The rate of sexual activity among adolescents in Barcelona is low compared with those in both European and American studies. However, a higher rate of condom use is observed.
Parera
N
N
Institut Universitari Dexeus, Adolescent Unit, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Suris
J C
JC
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013030:Spain