Early patterns of sexual activity: age cohort differences in Australia.
Patterns of first sexual activity among Australians born between the 1940s and 1980s were analysed using data from a national telephone survey of 1784 adults (876 males; 908 females). Sixty-one percent of those randomly selected from the Australian electoral roll and contactable by telephone responded. Many trends, including earlier first intercourse--from 20 to 18 years (females) and 18.8 to 17.8 years (males)--were established with the 40-49 year cohort, whose sexual debut was in the late 1960s-70s. Significant age-cohort effects saw women in the contemporary (18-29 year) cohort draw level with males for age at first intercourse and first sex before age 16 and before leaving school. First intercourse contraceptive use climbed from 30% to 80%. Condom use quadrupled to 70%. Australian age-cohort effects are remarkably consistent with those in similar western cultures: gender convergence in sexual experience and increasing avoidance of sexually transmitted disease and pregnancy. If such trends continue, positive long-term outcomes for health and social wellbeing should result.
Boyle
Frances M
FM
School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Australia. f.boyle@sph.uq.edu.au
Dunne
Michael P
MP
Purdie
David M
DM
Najman
Jake M
JM
Cook
Michele D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003075:Coitus; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data