American teenagers are waiting longer to have their first sexual experience. Ten years ago the average girl in the USA stopped being a virgin at 15 years of age, compared to approximately 17.5 today. However, they are less likely to use protection today for that first sexual encounter compared to a decade ago. Nicole Weller, who is working towards her Ph.D. in sociology at Arizona State University presented her findings at the 138th APHA (American Public Health Association) Social Justice Meeting in Denver, Colorado yesterday.

Weller also reveals that males are more likely to use protection during their first sexual encounter than females.

Weller is carrying out research on the relationship between early sex education and time when sexual activity begins in young people.

Weller said:

I’m looking at the interaction between sexual education and how it impacts young adolescent sexual behavior. This in particular was an interesting finding because males usually report that they are having more sex than females.

Weller has set out to try to find out whether teenagers are more likely to have protected or unprotected sex, as well as determining whether STD (sexually transmitted disease) awareness among adolescents increases the likelihood of using protection and contraception.

Weller said:

In general, the younger that you are when you have sex, the more at risk you are of contracting a sexually transmitted disease.

Teaching young people about sex early on has the advantage of increasing the rate at which teenagers use protection when they have sex.

Weller explained:

The younger one receives sexual education, the less likely you are to engage in risky sex.

Weller is gathering information from the National Survey of Family Growth, which contains data on sexual health history survey reports since 1973.

One of Weller’s findings reveals that although American teenagers of both sexes are remaining virgin for longer, they are getting sexually transmitted diseases earlier than their peers of a decade before. This is most notable with girls.

Weller said:

Fifteen to 19-year-olds have the most sexually transmitted diseases. Even though they are waiting, they are having risky sex and not taking precautions.

Apparently, African-American teenagers of both sexes are significantly less likely to use protection than their peers.

When commenting on the variety of sexual education formats provided at US schools, Weller said:

It varies in school districts and from state to state. More than 80 percent of students get some type of sex education in the school.

Weller added that sexual education also comes from parents, family members, classmates and health care professionals.

Weller plans further research into contraception habits and whether their features influence people’s decision. For example, condoms can help protect from both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, while the contraceptive pill has no impact on STD prevention. The study will involve finding out whether young people are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of various forms of contraception.

Source: Arizona State University