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Problems of adolescents sexuality
J Whatley1, N Thin, B Reynolds
1Department of Genito-Urinary Medicine, St Thomas' Hospital, London.
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
|December 1, 1989
Summary
Adolescent sexual health requires better education. Studies show young people in genito-urinary clinics have high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and low contraception use, highlighting a critical need for improved sexual health services and provider training.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Adolescent Medicine
- Sexual Health
Background:
- Published studies on adolescent sexual behavior often focus narrowly on specific issues or patient groups.
- There is a need for a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing adolescent sexuality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the sexual behavior and health outcomes of adolescents attending genito-urinary medicine/sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics.
- To identify patterns in referrals, sexual partnerships, contraception use, and STD prevalence among adolescents.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study of two adolescent groups from genito-urinary clinics in inner London and Swansea.
- Data collection included referral patterns, sexual partner characteristics, contraception practices, obstetric history, STD diagnoses, and cervical cytology findings.
Main Results:
- Over half of adolescents self-referred; few were referred by doctors other than general practitioners.
- Females reported regular sexual partners, while males reported casual partners. Only 66% of females used contraception.
- Adolescents exhibited higher STD rates than the general clinic population, with a notable prevalence of genital warts in females.
Conclusions:
- Adolescents attending genito-urinary clinics present with significant sexual health challenges, including high STD rates and inconsistent contraception use.
- There is a clear need for targeted sexual education for adolescents.
- Healthcare providers, particularly doctors, require enhanced training to address adolescent sexual health effectively.