Antecedents of adolescent initiation of sex, contraceptive use, and pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the most important antecedents associated with adolescent initiation of sex, contraceptive use, and pregnancy.


METHODS
Statistically significant antecedents in more than 250 studies were identified and summarized.


RESULTS
More than 100 antecedents create a complex and detailed picture of the correlates of adolescent sexual behaviors. They describe characteristics of the adolescents themselves, their partners, peers, families, schools, and communities, as well as relationships to these entities. They included antecedents that were inherently sexual and nonsexual.


CONCLUSIONS
To reduce teen pregnancy substantially, multiple sexual and nonsexual antecedents in different clusters may need to be addressed.
Kirby
Douglas
D
ETR Associates, Santa Cruz, CA, 95061-1830, USA. dougk@etr.org
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012924:Social Conditions; D012931:Social Environment; D014481:United States