A second study about sexual knowledge and attitudes of Galician adolescents

During adolescence, an individual's sexual life begins. It is essential to understand their knowledge, attitudes and sexual habits, as this is the objective of the study, along with tracking their evolution over time. This is the second expanded edition of a similar study conducted in the same population in 2010.

A cross-sectional descriptive study based on a poll which was performed from April to June 2021. An anonymous survey was carried out with 435 adolescents plus 16 between 12 and 21 in a public school.

The main sources of information about sexuality (sex) were: friends (77.6%), Internet (64.7%). 82.7% had their first sexual non coital experience at the average age of 13 years. Masturbation was/is considered to be pleasant and necessary in both sexes. 35.7% state as having maintained their first sexual relations at an average age of 15 years. Main reasons: desire (65.8%), Falling in love 46.6%, curiosity (46.6%). 93.5% consider their partner's consent as being essential. 13.8% of the girls and 4.2% of the boys stated as having had suffered Sexual Abuse. A 20.8% pointed that they had witnessed it in others. A 55.7% had resorted (turned) to pornography at one moment or another. Preservative (condom) is the most known method of contraceptive (79.2%), 35% have used it once. 92.5% consider violent male chauvinism, unacceptable or negative. 88.5% believe that Sexual Education should be included as a school subject in their curriculum.

To be worked on: To increase sexual knowledge in our youth, particularly in those fields related to the prevention on the transmission of sexual diseases and contraceptive methods. To improve their affective-sexual education, an aspect in which family can play a key role. Overcome the observed differences in the knowledge and attitudes between boys and girls.