       Document 1847
 DOCN  M94A1847
 TI    Pre-marital sexual behaviour in the developing world: results of 17
       AIDS-related surveys.
 DT    9412
 AU    Carael M; WHO/Global Programme on AIDS, Geneva, Switzerland.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):438 (abstract no. PD0360). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370728
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To gather cross-national information about early sexual
       activity and to define the onset of potential exposure to various types
       of risk including HIV/STD. METHODS: A standard study design and core
       questionnaire has been developed by GPA. The surveys were conducted by
       teams of national investigators with sample sizes of one to three
       thousand respondents. Clustered probability sample design and
       face-to-face interviewing with selected adults were used. RESULTS: For
       17 surveys nationally or sites representative, reported sexual
       experience among never-married males and females aged 15-19 years ranged
       from 1% to 69%; and among female from 0% to 56%. In all study
       populations the level of sexual experience was much higher among young
       men than among young women. The mean number of sexual partners in the
       last 12 months varied from 0 in Singapore and Manila to 1.6 for Rio
       males. In multivariate analysis, significant differences were found
       according to urban/rural residence and educational background.
       CONCLUSIONS: A huge cross-cultural variability in the onset of sexual
       behaviour was demonstrated. Furthermore, a significant relationship
       between the level of pre-marital sex among youths and the level of
       'casual' sex among adults for both sexes was found. Although
       interpretation of self-reported data on intimate sexual behaviour must
       be cautious, the main descriptive results presented show some consistent
       patterns.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Culture  *Developing Countries  Female  Human  HIV
       Infections/TRANSMISSION  Male  *Marital Status  Questionnaires  *Sex
       Behavior  Sexually Transmitted Diseases/TRANSMISSION  MEETING ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

