title: Subjective pubertal timing and health-compromising behaviours among Swiss adolescent girls reporting an on-time objective pubertal timing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this research is to assess the associations between subjective pubertal timing (SPT) and onset of health-compromising behaviours among girls reporting an on-time objective pubertal timing (OPT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from the Swiss SMASH 2002 survey, a self-administered questionnaire study conducted among a nationally representative sample of 7548 adolescents aged 16-20 years. From the 3658 girls in the initial sample, we selected only those (n = 1003) who provided information about SPT and who reported the average age at menarche, namely 13, considering this as an on-time OPT. Bivariate and logistic analyses were conducted to compare the early, on-time and late SPT groups in terms of onset of health-compromising behaviours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A perception of pubertal precocity was associated with sexual intercourse before age 16 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.10 (1.30-3.37)] and early use of illegal drugs other than cannabis [AOR: 2.55 (1.30-5.02)]. Conversely, girls perceiving their puberty as late were less likely to report intercourse before age 16 [AOR: 0.30 (0.12-0.75)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Faced with an adolescent girl perceiving her puberty as early, the practitioner should investigate the existence of health-compromising behaviours even if her puberty is or was objectively on-time.
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Adolescent Health, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deppen
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jeannin
authors.forename: Pierre-André
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Michaud
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alsaker
authors.forename: Joan-Carles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Suris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D003075:Coitus; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D016015:Logistic Models; D010465:Perception; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs