[Sex knowledge and behavior in male high school students]

Area of Science:

• Adolescent reproductive health
• Sexual education research
• Public health and epidemiology

Context:

• Increasing rates of adolescent sexual activity necessitate comprehensive sexual education.
• Male adolescents often receive inadequate or inaccurate information regarding sexual health and contraception.
• There is a significant gap between perceived knowledge and the need for expert-led education.

Purpose:

• To assess the current knowledge and behaviors of male adolescents regarding sexual activity and contraception.
• To identify primary sources of sexual health information among male adolescents.
• To determine the demand for formal sexual education from experts.

Summary:

• A survey of 520 male students (ages 15-19) in Novi Sad revealed that 90% are sexually active by 18.
• Information on sexual health is predominantly sourced from mass media (63.65%) and peers (50.58%), with minimal input from parents (5%) or experts (1%).
• While most students believe they have adequate knowledge of sexuality (69%) and contraception (62%), 75.77% explicitly desire further education from professionals. Condom use is high (90%), and abortion is widely viewed as harmful.

Impact:

• Highlights the critical need for evidence-based sexual education programs delivered by qualified professionals.
• Informs the development of targeted interventions to improve adolescent sexual health literacy and practices.
• Emphasizes the importance of addressing misinformation and promoting accurate knowledge for adolescent well-being and reproductive health outcomes.