title: Early Sexual Debut and Associated Risk Behaviors Among Sexual Minority Youth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early sexual debut, sexual risk taking, substance use, violent victimization, and suicidal behaviors are more prevalent among sexual minority than sexual nonminority youth. Although associations between early sexual debut and these risk behaviors exist, little is known about such associations among sexual minority youth. This study examined these associations among sexual minority U.S. high school students and their sexual nonminority peers.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2015, the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey included questions assessing sexual orientation for the first time. In 2016, data from this nationally representative sample of 15,624 U.S. high school students were analyzed to determine if associations between early sexual debut and other health risk behaviors varied by sexual orientation, by calculating adjusted (for sex, race/ethnicity, and age) prevalence ratios (APRs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Associations between early sexual debut and other health risk behaviors did not vary significantly by sexual orientation. Early sexual debut (first sexual intercourse before age 13 years) was associated with sexual risk taking, substance use, violent victimization, and suicidal thoughts/attempts among students identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) and among students identifying as heterosexual, for example, being currently sexually active (LGB students: APR=1.82, 95% CI=1.35, 2.45; heterosexual students: APR=2.50, 95% CI=2.22, 2.81) and not using a condom at last sexual intercourse (LGB students: APR=1.50, 95% CI=1.18, 1.91; heterosexual students: APR=1.29, 95% CI=1.09, 1.52).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School-based sexual health programs might appropriately utilize strategies that are inclusive of sexual minority students, encourage delay of sexual intercourse, and coordinate with violence and substance use prevention programs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. Electronic address: rlowry@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dunville
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robin
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012572:School Health Services; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D014481:United States; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data