[Factors associated with early sexual initiation in girls: French data from the international survey Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC)/WHO].
OBJECTIVE
Inspite of unquestionable progress, the protection of girls at first sexual intercourse is still not perfect. The main risks are well known (sexually transmitted infections [STIs], unwanted pregnancies, psychological consequences) and seem to be higher in the case of early sexual initiation. The aim of this epidemiological study is to analyse factors associated with early heterosexual intercourse (age 15 or before) among girls, considered as risk factors for pregnancies and STIs.


METHODS
Our data come from the 2002 international survey Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC)/WHO. The questionnaire is completed anonymously in class and measures health, health behaviours and their contexts among 11-, 13- and 15-year-old students. Only the 15 year-olds are asked about their sexual behaviour. In France, 1264 15-year-old (plus or minus six months) girls have answered the survey.


RESULTS
Two hundred and twenty-four girls (17,7 %) state they have already had sexual intercourse. Among these, 88,4 % say that condoms and/or pills were used at last sexual intercourse. Multivariate analysis (n=1159) show that seven variables are significantly and independently linked to a higher frequency of early sexual intercourse: single-parent or reconstructed family, repeated drunkenness, daily smoking, cannabis experimentation, frequent evenings out, negative life appreciation and early menarche.


CONCLUSIONS
Identifying factors associated with early sexual initiation should help professionals to better take care of those high risk adolescent girls.
Godeau
E
E
Inserm, unité 558, université Paul-Sabatier, 37, allée Jules-Guesde, 31073 Toulouse cedex, France; Service médical du rectorat de Toulouse, 12, rue Mondran, 31400 Toulouse, France; Association pour le développement d'HBSC, 3, rue Edouard-Dulaurier, 31000 Toulouse, France. Electronic address: emmanuelle.godeau@ac-toulouse.fr.
Vignes
C
C
Inserm, unité 558, université Paul-Sabatier, 37, allée Jules-Guesde, 31073 Toulouse cedex, France; Service médical du rectorat de Toulouse, 12, rue Mondran, 31400 Toulouse, France.
Duclos
M
M
Observatoire régional de santé Midi-Pyrénées, faculté de médecine, 37, allée Jules-Guesde, 31073 Toulouse cedex, France.
Navarro
F
F
Service médical du rectorat de Toulouse, 12, rue Mondran, 31400 Toulouse, France; Association pour le développement d'HBSC, 3, rue Edouard-Dulaurier, 31000 Toulouse, France.
Cayla
F
F
Observatoire régional de santé Midi-Pyrénées, faculté de médecine, 37, allée Jules-Guesde, 31073 Toulouse cedex, France.
Grandjean
H
H
Inserm, unité 558, université Paul-Sabatier, 37, allée Jules-Guesde, 31073 Toulouse cedex, France.
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D003075:Coitus / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012736:Sex Education; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control