Sexual information of teenagers in Szeged: a questionnaire survey
Z. Kozinszky (1), J. Sikovanyecz (1), N. Szabó (2), I. Devosa (2), K.
Barabás (2), L. Kovács (1), A. Pál (1)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Szeged, Hungary
(1); Department of Psychiatry Section of Behavioural Sciences, University of
Szeged, Hungary (2)
Introduction: The increase of sexual activity among the adolescents
has become a danger to their reproductive health and consequently the rate of
abortion among teenagers is above 10 % in Hungary.
Aims and Methods: The goal of this study was to explore sexual
behaviour of teenagers. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was
conducted among adolescents. Data on contraceptive use were collected from 356
teenagers (217 girls and 139 boys) aged 15 to 19, from May 2003 to October 2003
in secondary schools of Szeged.
Results: The first sexual intercourse (356/153, 43.0%) was in 15.1
years, in average, without any significant differences between those of girls
(15.2 yrs) and boys (14.9 yrs). Most of sexually active teenagers applied condom
(153/73, 48%) due to irreglar sexual activity. The second popular method was the
oral contraceptive (OC) pill (153/39, 25.5%). Almost all of the respondents are
aware of the condom (96%) or OC (92%). About half of the teenagers knew the
intrauterin device (51.4%) and calendar method (65.4%). OC was declared as a
reliable method in 51.0% and condom in 64.2% of subjects. Seventy-eight percent
of adolescents knew the possibility of emergency contraception, and only the
minority of them (7.1%) used it against unwanted pregnancy.
Conclusions: Half of the teenagers has sexual activity, but a quarter
of them uses unreliable contraceptives or relies on luck. The high rate of
unwanted pregnancy could be prevented with promotion of wider use of condom
among sexually active teens.
