[Adolescents and sources of sex information: preferences and perceived usefulness]

To find adolescents' assessment of the information received at their school on questions relating to sexuality. To discover their main sources of information on sexuality, the perceived utility of these and their preferences.

Observational study.

Province of Cordoba.

955 adolescents at secondary schools were chosen through multistage randomised sampling. Anonymous health questionnaire. Average age was 16.62% were girls. 545 valued as a lot or sufficient the AIDS information received (57%; 54.3-59.6), more than when asked about STD (29%; 25.4-31.9), contraceptives (33%; 29.7-35.2), sexual relations (22%; 19.5-24.1) or pregnancy (22%; 19.3-24.2). They were able to talk openly about sexuality, firstly with friends (90.8%) and girl/boy-friend (80.5%), and least with teachers (18.7%), parents (17.4%) or priests (8.9%). Sexual information came basically from friends (26%) and magazines (24%), and least from doctors (7%) and parents (6%). The most useful source for adolescents was magazines (21%) and teachers (21%), with parents and cinema/T.V. in the last positions. When adolescents were asked from whom they would prefer to receive information, they chose firstly parents (34%) and doctors (33%).

Adolescents perceived a centering of the information received at their school on AIDS. Their preferred sources of information did not coincide with what was most accessible. Despite considering doctors as a preferred source, they have received little information from us. The usefulness given to magazines is worthy of note.