Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sources of information, experiences and opinions on sexuality, contraception and STD protection among young Swedish students

  • Published:
Advances in Contraception

Abstract

The aim of the investigation was to study sources of information on sexuality, contraceptives and STDs among young people as well as their experiences of and opinions on the matter. A questionnaire was distributed to 192 high-school pupils in the Stockholm area. The mean age of the participants was 17.4 years.

The majority stated that school teachers and individual reading are the best sources of information. Female students more often relied on friends and family members than male students.

Among those who had had their sexual debut, many stated that condom use was hard to practice.

Resumé

L'objectif de la présente étude était d'examiner les sources d'information sur la sexualité, les contraceptifs et les MST chez les jeunes, ainsi que leurs expériences et leurs opinions dans ces domaines. Un questionnaire a été distribué à 192 élèves d'écoles secondaires dans la région de Stockholm. L'âge moyen des participants était de 17,4 ans.

La majorité d'entre eux ont répondu au'ils trouvaient leurs meilleures sources d'information auprès des enseignants et dans des lectures personnelles. Les étudiantes avaient plus tendance à s'adresser à des amies et à des membres de la famille que leurs homologues masculins.

Parmi ceux qui étaient déjà sexuellement actifs, bon nombre ont précisé que l'utilisation de préservatifs était difficile à pratiquer.

Resumen

El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar las fuentes de información sobre la sexualidad, anticonceptivos y STD entre los jóvenes, así como sus experiencias y opiniones en estas cuestiones. Se distribuyó un cuestionario entre 192 alumnos secundarios de la región de Estocolmo. La edad media de los participantes era de 17,4 años.

La mayoría de ellos manifestaron que sus mejores fuentes de información eran los profesores y las lecturas personales. Las estudiantes señalaban una mayor tendencia a consultar con amigas y con miembros de la familia que los estudiantes de sexo masculino.

Entre los que ya tenían actividad sexual, un número considerable dijo que el uso de preservativos era difícil de practicar.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Statistics Sweden. (1990).Yearbook of Health Statistics 1990. Statistiska Centralbyran, Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  2. RahmV.A., GnarpeH. and OdlindV. (1988). Chlamydia trachomatis among sexually active teenager girls. Lack of correlation between chlamydial infection, history of the patient and clinical signs of infection.Br. J. Obstet. Gynecol.,95, 916–919

    Google Scholar 

  3. SchaferM.A., BeckA., BlainB. et al. (1984). Chlamydia trachomatis: important relationships to race, contraception, lower genital tract infection and Papanicolaou smear.J. Pediatr. 104, 141–146

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. SchaferM.A., PragerV., SchalwitzJ. et al. (1987). Prevalence of urethral Chlamydial trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among asymptomatic sexually active adolescent boys.J. Infect. Dis.,156, 223–224

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. BlytheM.J., KatzB.P. and OrrD.P. (1988). Historical and clinical factors associated with Chlamydia trachomatis genitourinary infection in female adolescents.J. Pediatr.,112, 1000–1004

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. HughesE., MowattJ. and SpenceJ.E.H. (1989). Endocervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Canadian adolescents.Can. Med. Assoc. J.,140, 297–301

    Google Scholar 

  7. CurtisH.A., TrippJ.H., LawrenceC. and ClarkeW.L. (1988). Teenage relationships and sex education.Arch. Dis. Child.,63, 935–941

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. KegelesS.M., AdlerN.E. and IrwinC.E. (1989). Adolescents and condoms.AJDC,143, 911–915

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. WeinerE., JohanssonI., HelmiusG. and OdlindV. (1984). Sexual and contraceptive experience among teenagers in Uppsala.Uppsala J. Med. Sci.,89, 171–177

    Google Scholar 

  10. AnderschB. and MilsomI. (1982). Contraception and pregnancy among young men in an urban Swedish population.Contraception,26, 211–219

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. RiphagenF.E. and vonSchoultzB. (1989). Contraception in Sweden.Contraception,39, 633–642

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. RipaT. (1986). Chlamydia trachomatis — microbiology and epidemiology. InTreatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. National Board of Health and Welfare, Drug Information Committee, Sweden, 1986,4, pp. 31–45

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    E. Persson

  2. Farsta Youth Clinic, Sweden

    B. Sandström

  3. Department of Sociology, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden

    G. Jarlbro

Authors
  1. E. Persson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. Sandström
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. Jarlbro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Persson, E., Sandström, B. & Jarlbro, G. Sources of information, experiences and opinions on sexuality, contraception and STD protection among young Swedish students. Adv Contracept 8, 41–49 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01849347

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01849347

Keywords

Search

Navigation