An investigation of adolescent health from China

In a senior high school in the Weicheng District of Weifang City, we studied the health of a total 445 students. The age of the first emission was 15.22 +/- 2.24 years, and the age of menarche was 13.56 +/- 2.26 years. Because 47.9% of boys and 63.8% of girls did not have previous knowledge about puberty, 39.9% of boys and 52.2% of girls felt puzzled and disgusted with the onset of puberty. About 18% of boys and about 2% of girls reported masturbation. The average frequency of masturbation was 3.5 times a month in the boys and two times monthly in girls. Adolescents acquired sexual knowledge and information predominantly from magazines (25.8% of boys and 28.0% of girls). About 64% of boys and 44% of girls wanted to be given educational programs on sex. About 43% of boys and 1% of girls smoked cigarettes and 83.5% of boys and 54.9% of girls drank alcohol. The survey suggested that it is essential to teach the senior high school students about the psychosocial and behavioral characteristics of adolescence and promote research on adolescent medicine.