title: [''Liva"--population survey of female sexual habits].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexual and contraceptive habits, e.g. early age at first intercourse, multiple sexual partners and non-use of condoms, are well-established risk factors for sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy. The aim was to examine if and how educational level and degree of urbanization are related to age at first intercourse, lifetime number of sexual partners and condom use.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from a large population-based questionnaire survey conducted during 2004-2005, including a random sample of 20,478 women (18-45 years) (participation rate: 81.4%). We used multiple logistic regression analysis to estimate odds ratios (OR) of early sexual debut (≤ 15 years old), having had > 5 lifetime sexual partners and never-use of condoms associated with educational level and degree of urbanization. The OR of having had an early sexual debut was almost twofold higher among women with a lower educational level (OR = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.73-2.15) than among women with higher educational level, and the OR of having had > 5 lifetime sexual partners was highest among women in the capital centre (OR = 2.36; 95% CI: 2.16-2.57) compared with women in the small provincial town areas. Furthermore, the OR of never-use of condoms was 2.53 (95% CI: 2.15-2.97) for women with a lower educational level compared with those with a higher educational level (mutually adjusted for age, degree of urbanization and educational level).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low educational level is associated with young age at first sexual intercourse and never-use of condoms, and living in an area of high urbanization is associated with a higher lifetime number of sexual partners. This information may be of importance for prevention in relation to women's reproductive health.
authors.affiliation: Afdeling for Virus, Hormoner og Kraeft, Institut for Epidemiologisk Kraeftforskning, Kraeftens Bekaempelse, 2100 København Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: Tina Bech
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.forename: Kirsten Egebjerg
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Munk
authors.forename: Janne Schurmann
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tolstrup
authors.forename: Susanne Krüger
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kjaer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003718:Denmark; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult