Gender differences in factors associated with sexual intercourse among Estonian adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To examine factors associated with early sexual intercourse among 15 to 16-year-old adolescents by gender.


METHODS
The data were collected from a random sample of Estonian basic schools' ninth grade pupils in 1999 using self-completed questionnaires. A multivariate logistic regression analysis for boys and girls was used to test for associations between sexual intercourse, and personal gender role-related attitudes, attitudes towards sexual intercourse, pubertal timing, smoking status and experience of drunkenness.


RESULTS
Of the respondents, 14.6% of boys and 13.1% of girls had experienced sexual intercourse. Traditional gender role-related attitudes were associated with sexual intercourse among girls, but not among boys. Smoking and experience of drunkenness was strongly associated with sexual intercourse for both genders.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender differences in the association between gender role-related attitudes and early sexual intercourse were observed among 15 to 16-year-olds in Estonia. Smoking and experience of drunkenness were strongly related to sexual intercourse for both genders.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, Tartu Youth Counselling Centre, Tartu, Estonia. kai.part@kliinikum.ee
Kai
K
Part
Kaja
K
Rahu
Mati
M
Rahu
Helle
H
Karro
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D001290:Attitude; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology; D004957:Estonia; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires