title: Sexual activity among Malaysian school-going adolescents: what are the risk and protective factors?
abstract: This study aimed to identify risk and protective factors associated with sexual activity among Malaysian adolescents. Data from the World Health Organization Global School-based Student Health Survey 2012 were analyzed. A total of 23 645 students aged 12 to 17 years responded using self-administered validated questionnaire. The overall prevalence of reported ever-had sex was 8.3%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that ever-had sex was positively significantly associated with ever-used drugs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.51-9.13), and to a lesser extent, ever-smoked (aOR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.62-2.07) and ever-consumed alcohol (aOR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.15-2.53). Protective factors against ever-had sex were having a close friend (aOR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.50-0.81), parental bonding (aOR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.65-0.81), supportive peers (aOR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.69-0.86), and parental connectedness (aOR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.78-0.99). Although the prevalence of sexual activity among school-going adolescents in Malaysia is relatively low, identifying the risk and protective factors is crucial toward developing an integrated multiple approach to preventing sexual-related problems.
authors: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia drnoorani@moh.gov.my.
authors: NoorAni
authors: N
authors: Ahmad
authors: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: S Maria
authors: SM
authors: Awaluddin
authors: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Hasimah
authors: H
authors: Ismail
authors: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Rahama
authors: R
authors: Samad
authors: Family Health and Development Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors: NikRubiah
authors: N
authors: NikAbdRashid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: adolescent health; epidemiology; population health; population studies; public health; reproductive epidemiology