Sexual activity among Turkish adolescents: once more the distinguished male.
The mean age of first sexual intercourse in Western countries is around 17 years and decreasing. Although Turkey is a bridge between East and West, embracing different cultures, little data are available on sexual issues in the population.


METHODS
A questionnaire was administered to all students in the study year 2004-2005, collecting demographic data, sexual activities, sexual and contraceptive attitudes, and contraceptive knowledge. Of 7,657 applicants invited, 3,970 questionnaires could be analyzed.


RESULTS
Median age of the participants was 18 years (48.0% female, 52% male). Median age at first sexual intercourse was 17 years for females and 16 years for males. 46.5% of the males and 3.0% of the females had sexual intercourse experience. While 68% of the girls had their first sexual intercourse with their lovers, this ratio was 44.8 % for males (Chi square = 59.963, p <.001). Significantly more girls than boys were planning to have their sexual partner as future spouses (Chi square = 55.569, p <.001). Three fourth of the males approved premarital sex for males; this ratio was reversed for females (Chi square = 574.838, p <.001). Although both sexes disapproved premarital sexual intercourse of women, girls were significantly more conservative in this regard (78.6% vs. 92.5%) (Chi square = 110.460, p <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the adolescent sexual intercourse rate in Turkey is low compared with Western countries, there is a tendency to increase. Therefore, sexual education is needed. When augmenting sexual education programs in undergraduate education, gender difference and cultural factors should be further evaluated.
Dagdeviren
Nezih
N
Department of Family Medicine, Trakya University Medical Faculty, Edirne, Turkey.
Set
Turan
T
Akturk
Zekeriya
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D003267:Contraception / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003380:Courtship / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools / Q000145:classification; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult