Contraception use: is everything played at first intercourse?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Sexual Health

Background:

• Contraceptive use patterns vary based on social, personal, and sexual factors.
• Understanding these variations is key to improving sexual health outcomes.
• Young adults represent a critical demographic for studying contraceptive behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze contraceptive methods used by Swiss young adults.
• To investigate the influence of sexual orientation and co-variables on contraception choices.
• To identify factors associated with condom, other contraceptive, and non-use groups.

Main Methods:

• A national survey on sexual behavior was conducted with 4703 participants.
• Participants were categorized into CONDOM, CONTRACEPTIVE, and NON-USE groups based on last intercourse.
• Sociodemographic, personal characteristics, and first intercourse (FI) contraception use were compared across groups.

Main Results:

• Globally, 90% of participants reported reliable contraception use at last intercourse.
• The CONTRACEPTIVE group showed higher rates of prior contraceptive use at FI compared to the CONDOM group.
• The NON-USE group had a higher likelihood of prior non-use or only using contraception at FI.

Conclusions:

• Contraception use at first intercourse (FI) strongly influences subsequent contraceptive practices.
• Promoting effective contraception and protection at FI is essential for long-term sexual health.
• Interventions targeting FI contraception can impact overall contraception use rates.