Health problems and sexual activity of selected inner city, middle school students

Physical examinations were performed and health and sexual histories were taken on 496 12-14-year-old, inner city, middle school students participating in extracurricular activities. Health problems were identified in 9.5% of students. Twenty-one percent of a subgroup of 276 students reported sexual activity; males were three times as likely as females to report intercourse. More than one-half of a smaller subgroup named their parents as their primary source of information on sex. The value of the screening exam is discussed, and suggestions are offered on the content of preventive health and sex education curricula for this age group.