ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the sexual practices and contraceptive use in a sample of college women in 1995 with women surveyed in 1975, 1986 and 1989. STUDY DESIGN: We surveyed 336 college women seen at a university student health service or on campus and compared their responses to those of women surveyed at the university in 1975, 1986 and 1989. RESULTS: The proportions of women who were sexually experienced, number of life-time male sexual partners, number of male sexual partners in the past year and frequencies of specific sexual practices were similar over the four survey times. Condom use was reported as the usual method of contraception in 7% of sexually experienced women in 1975, 14% in 1986, 25% in 1989 and 46% in 1995 (P < .00001, linear trend). CONCLUSION: We found little change in sexual practices in this college population over the four survey years, with the exception of an increase in the self-reported use of condoms. Increased educational efforts should emphasize safe sexual practices (barrier methods) to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and highly efficacious methods of contraception (hormonal contraception) to avoid unintended pregnancy.
Subject(s)
Contraceptive Agents , Sexual Behavior , Adult , Condoms , Contraceptives, Oral , Female , Humans , Male , Pregnancy , Sexual Partners , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/prevention & control , Surveys and QuestionnairesSubject(s)
Condoms/statistics & numerical data , Contraception Behavior/trends , Adult , Condoms/standards , Female , Humans , New England , UniversitiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of sexual assault in adolescents and to compare this group with sexual assault victims over 20 years of age. METHODS: Charts were reviewed of 405 women presenting for sexual assault evaluation between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1993, and demographic, historical, and laboratory data were extracted. RESULTS: The median age of the study population was 21 years. Adolescent victims (less than 20 years old, N = 178) were more likely to be assaulted by an acquaintance or relative (77 versus 56%; P < .0001) and to delay medical evaluation (11 versus 7 hours; P < .02) than were women 20 years of age and older (N = 227). CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of sexual assault in adolescents is unique and poses special challenges to the health care provider and the sexual assault evaluation team. Clinicians evaluating adolescents should be familiar with the epidemiology of sexual assault in this age group and the widespread problem of acquaintance rape. Adolescents should be offered preventive strategies to help them avoid future violence in dating relationships and the sequelae of sexual assault, such as unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
