First sexual intercourse (sexarche) in youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the average age of sexarche in young people in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BandH) in relation to their sex, place and life-style and religion.


METHODS
A survey (anonymous questionnaire) about sexual behavior of young people in the period 2007-2009 on the sample of 6000 individuals (experimental group of 5000 students and control group of 1000 non-students) has been conducted in four major university cities in BandH: Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar, Banja Luka.


RESULTS
A total of 3.659 (out of 6000, 61%) sexually active youth of which 1871 (51.1%) males, and 1788 (48.9%) females were observed. Among student population there were 3001 (82%), and among non-students 658 (18%) sexually active individuals. The mean (average) age of sexarche in sexually active youth as a whole was 17.34 (SD ± 1.77) in males and 18.20 (SD ± 1.84) in females (p<0.001), and among students and non-students, 17.72 (SD ± 1.81), and 17.92 (SD ± 2.04) (p=0.02), respectively (p=0.01). There was a significant difference of the average values of sexarche among members of different religions, in males ( p<0.001) as well as in females (p=0.004) in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this study do not present a descending trend of the average age of first coitus in youth in BiH, which is contrary to the results of other countries.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. azrahadzi@bih.net.ba
Hadžimehmedović
H
Azra
Balić
B
Adem
Balić
B
Devleta
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina; D003075:Coitus; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult