Teenage sexual behaviour
Data from 24 Scottish schools (5,000 pupils) showed that 42 per cent of girls and 33 per cent of boys reported experience of sexual intercourse at an average age of 16 years and one month.
The study showed that school level socioeconomic factors remain influential in this occurrence. A student who is deprived but attends a school with an affluent catchment may be discouraged from sexual activity while an affluent individual attending a school with a deprived catchment may be encouraged towards earlier sexual intercourse.
These findings occurred despite how well the school was run. Characteristics of a school including relationships between teachers and pupils, appearance, discipline and the layout of the school were found to have only a weak impact on the rates of sexual experience.
To make an impact on levels of early sexual activity and pregnancy, the authors suggested that the Government needs to tackle deprivation and socioeconomic problems. Young girls should be encouraged to pursue their career aspirations even when their background socio-cultural factors have led them to have sex early.
Henrietta Hughes, FRSH J Fam Plann Reprod health care 2008, 34(2)
Reference
Henderson M, Butcher I, Wight D, Williamson L and Raab G (2008) What explains between-school differences in rates of sexual experience? BMC Public health 2008: 8(1), p.53 (e-pub 8 February 2008).