Factors Affecting Contraceptive Use among Adolescent Girls in South Korea

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify contraceptive practices in adolescent girls in South Korea and predictors of contraceptive practices. METHODS: The study sample included 743 girls who had experienced sexual activity. Using statistics from the 12th (2016) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The contraceptive practice rate for adolescent girls was 34%. Contraceptive practice was associated with ‘age at first intercourse’ and ‘sexual intercourse after drinking’. For adolescent girls who had early sexual initiation and drank alcohol before sexual intercourse there was a tendency to reduce the practice of contraception. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to provide practical sex education to improve the practice of contraception in these adolescents. In addition, adolescent girls should be encourage to delay their first intercourse. The results of this study can also be used to develop education interventions regarding healthy sexuality behaviour including the practice of contraception.