Trends and patterns of sexual behaviors among adolescents and adults aged 14 to 59 years, United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Evaluation of sexual behaviors is essential to better understand the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections and their sequelae.

Methods

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) is an ongoing probability sample survey of the US population. Using NHANES sexual behavior data from 1999 to 2012, we performed the following: (1) trend analyses among adults aged 25 to 59 years by 10-year birth cohorts and (2) descriptive analyses among participants aged 14 to 24 years. Sex was defined as vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Results

Among adults aged 25 to 59 years, median age at sexual initiation decreased between the 1940-1949 and 1980-1989 cohorts from 17.9 to 16.2 among females (P trend < 0.001) and from 17.1 to 16.1 among males (P trend <

SUBMITTER: Liu G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6785975 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature