Oral sexual experience among young adolescents receiving general health examinations.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether oral sex occurs among young adolescents receiving general health examinations and warrants inclusion in sexual risk assessments.


METHODS
Confidential, interviewer-assisted questionnaires completed by 12 to 15-year-olds (n=335).


RESULTS
Overall, 18% of adolescents reported having oral sex. Among adolescents who had oral sex, 25% reported no vaginal sex. Few adolescents reported using barrier protection during oral sex. Most adolescents thought that penile-vaginal sex (96%) and penile-anal sex (81%) can transmit HIV, but 68% thought that penile-mouth sex can transmit HIV.


CONCLUSIONS
Unprotected oral sex among young adolescents warrants attention in research and clinical sexual assessment.
Boekeloo
Bradley O
BO
Department of Public and Community Health, University of Maryland, College Park 20742, USA. bb153@umail.umd.edu
Howard
Donna E
DE
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D004219:District of Columbia; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D009055:Mouth / Q000821:virology; D009819:Office Visits; D010808:Physical Examination; D012309:Risk-Taking; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014768:Virginia