Socio-Ecological Predictors of Intercourse Frequency & Number of Sexual Partners among Male & Female African American Adolescents

The current study examined 14 waves of data derived from a large, community-based study of the sexual behavior of impoverished youth between 12 and 17 years of age residing in the Deep South. We used multilevel linear modeling to identify ecological predictors of intercourse frequency and number of sexual partners among gender-specific subsamples. Results indicated that predictors of adolescent sexual behavior differed by both type of sexual behavior and gender. 

• For males, age, maternal warmth, parental knowledge, curfew, self-worth, and sense of community predicted intercourse frequency, while age, parental knowledge, curfew, self-worth, friend support, and sense of community were significantly associated with having multiple sexual partners. 
• Among females, age, curfew, and self-worth exerted significant effects on intercourse frequency, while age, parental knowledge, curfew, and self-worth exerted significant effects on having multiple sexual partners. 

Implications and future directions are discussed.

Table 2

Means, Standard Deviations, and Correlations Among Study Variables at Baseline

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1. Age		−.011	.491a	.373a	.054c	−.024	−.022	−.290a	−.156a	−.114a
2. Gender	–		−.208a	−.340a	.069b	.194	.059c	.122a	.125a	−.055c
3. Frequency of sex	–	–		.628a	−.078a	−.039	−.092a	−.345a	−.256a	−.052c
4. No. of partners	–	–	.532a		−.119a	−.048	−.105a	−.268a	−.256a	−.016
5. Self-worth	–	–	−.102a	−.123a		.027	.208a	.047c	.233a	.144a
6. Friend support	–	–	−.044	−.038	.012		.027	.018	.054c	.073b
7. Maternal warmth	–	–	−.095a	−.099a	.211a	.016		.091a	.255a	.111a
8. Curfew	–	–	−.225a	−.160a	.049	.028	.084a		.205a	−.021
9. Parental knowledge	–	–	−.181a	−.184a	.229a	.067a	.256a	.154a		.097a
10. Sense of community	–	–	−.056	−.025	.158	.065c	.110a	−.034	.103a

Note. Cells above the diagonal are Pearson correlation coefficients. Cells below the diagonal are partial correlations controlling for age and gender.

aSignificant at p < .001.

bSignificant at .001 < p <.01.

cSignificant at .01 < p < .05.

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By: Tiarney D. Ritchwood, Amy C. Traylor, Rebecca J. Howell, Wesley T. Church, II, and John M. Bolland
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; 

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Sexual and Contraceptive Behavior among Female University Students In Sweden - Repeated Surveys Over a 25-Year Period

RESULTS:
In 1989, age at first intercourse was 17.6 years vs. 16.7 years in 2014, number of lifetime sexual partners was 4.0 vs. 12.1 in 2014, and number of sexual partners during the previous 12 months was 1.0 vs. 2.8 in 2014. Condom use during first intercourse with the latest partner decreased from 49% to 41% (n = 172 in 2009 vs. n = 148 in 2014: p < 0.001), and experience of anal sex increased from 39% to 46% (n = 136 in 2009 vs. n = 165 in 2014: p = 0.038), and 25% (n = 41 in 2014) always used a condom during anal sex. A total of 70% (n = 251) made use of pornography, and 48% (n = 121) considered their sexual behavior affected by pornography. Eighty-nine percent (n = 291) wanted two to three children and 9% (n = 33) had thought about freezing eggs for the future. The female students' knowledge about increasing age being correlated with decreased fertility varied.

CONCLUSIONS:
Sexual behavior among female university students has gradually changed during the last 25 years and behavior appears more risky today. As this may have consequences on future reproductive health, it is vital to inform women about consistent and correct condom use and about the limitations of the fertile window.

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Asexuality Development among Middle Aged & Older Men

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The specific reasons for asexuality in the population without sexual intercourse

The distribution of chronic disease and sexual status among age groups

Abstract

Objectives

To assess erectile function in middle-aged and older men with asexuality status and further analyze their specific reasons for this condition.

Subjects and Methods

Men who had regular sexual intercourse attempts (sex frequency≥1 time per month) were classified into mild erectile dysfunction (ED), moderate to severe ED and non-ED according to International Index of Erectile Function-5, and men having no sexual intercourse attempts for at least 6 months were defined as having an asexuality status. The risk factors associated with ED were collected in a sample of 1,531 Chinese men aged 40 to 80 years, and the self-report reasons for asexuality were recorded in asexual cohort individually. Comparative analyses and multivariate regression models were conducted among these groups.

Results

The prevalence rates of ED and asexuality status were 49.9% and 37.2%. The asexuality status group had higher risk factors than the moderate to severe ED group in terms of old age (age≥65, adjusted odds ratio (OR) 17.69 versus (Vs.) 7.19), diabetes (crude OR: 2.40 Vs. 2.36) and hypertension (crude OR: 1.78 Vs. 1.72). The specific reasons for the asexuality status were “erectile difficulty” (52.9%), “do not care about sexuality” (53.5%)”, “no longer necessary to have sexuality at this age” (47.7%), “severe stress” (44.4%), “severe fatigue” (26.3%) and “masturbation” (26.9%).

Conclusions

Men with an asexual status suffer from higher risk factors for ED than men with moderate to severe ED. The majority of this asexual status could be attributed to a full ED, although the reasons for this transient asexuality also involved sexual attitudes and interests, sexual partners and masturbation.