[Sexual violence in young men and women in Chile: results from a 2005 survey of university students]. / Violencia sexual en hombres y mujeres jóvenes en Chile: Resultados de una encuesta (año 2005) a estudiantes universitarios.

BACKGROUND: Experiences of sexual violence in adolescence and young adulthood have received little attention in Chilean public health research and practice. AIM: To describe the prevalence and contexts of sexual violence victimization in a sample of university students in Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self-administered, quantitative survey including items on sexual violence was completed by 484 female and 466 male students at a public university in Chile in 2005. RESULTS: Thirty-one percent of women and 21 % of men reported having experienced at least one incident of sexual violence since age 14; the corresponding percentages for the past 12 months were 17% and 12%, respectively. The perpetrators were identified predominantly as an acquaintance; another important fraction corresponded to a partner or a date. Alcohol or other substances were involved in most cases. Among students who indicated having been assaulted, the incident was reported to the police by none of the men and 2% of women. Twenty one percent of women and 9% of men reported having experienced sexual violence before age 14. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of sexual violence found in this study indicates that this issue merits further public health attention in Chile.

Violencia sexual en hombres y mujeres jóvenes en Chile: resultados de una encuesta (año 2005) a estudiantes universitarios / Sexual violence in young men and women in Chile: results from a 2005 survey of university student

Background: Experiences of sexual violence in adolescence and young adulthood have received little attention in Chilean public health research and practice. Aim: To describe the prevalence and contexts of sexual violence victimization in a sample of university students in Chile. Material and Methods: A self-administered, quantitative survey including items on sexual violence was completed by 484 female and 466 male students at a public university in Chile in 2005. Results: Thirty-one percent of women and 21 percent of men reported having experienced at least one incident of sexual violence since age 14; the corresponding percentages for the past 12 months were 17 percent and 12 percent, respectively. The perpetrators were identified predominantly as an acquaintance; another important fraction corresponded to a partner or a date. Alcohol or other substances were involved in most cases. Among students who indicated having been assaulted, the incident was reported to the police by none of the men and 2 percent of women. Twenty one percent of women and 9 percent of men reported having experienced sexual violence before age 14. Conclusions: The high prevalence of sexual violence found in this study indicates that this issue merits further public health attention in Chile.

Comparative performance of a combined injectable contraceptive (50 mg norethisterone enanthate plus 5mg estradiol valerate) and a combined oral contraceptive (0.15 mg levonorgestrel plus 0.03 mg ethinyl estradiol) in adolescents.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare in a regular non-clinical trial experience the efficacy, acceptability, and continuation rates of an injectable contraceptive containing 50 mg norethisterone enanthate plus 5mg estradiol valerate (IC) and an oral contraceptive containing 0.15 mg levonorgestrel plus 0.03 mg ethinyl estradiol (OC), among adolescent users. DESIGN: A total of 251 adolescents ages 14-19 were followed during 12 months. The IC group (124 subjects) was studied for 1044 cycles and the OC group (127 subjects) was studied for 1368 cycles. The users were not assigned in a random selection. Information was collected from clinical records. Groups were compared using Pearson chi-square, odds ratio (95% confidence interval), t-test, and proportion difference test. RESULTS: The IC group had significant differences in baseline social risk, confidence, psychiatric problems, consumption of alcohol, and number of sexual partners. At 12 months, the IC group showed significant decrease in weight and increase in hypermenorrhea. In the OC group, dysmenorrhea decreased, and hypomenorrhea and regular cycles were significantly more frequent. One pregnancy occurred in the OC group (Pearl Index: 0.88). Final continuation rates at 12 months were 41.9% and 37.8% for IC and OC, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The monthly injectable is a recommended contraceptive option for adolescents, especially for those facing psychosocial risk factors.

Prevalence of and risk factors for sexual victimization in college women in Chile.

CONTEXT: To date, no quantitative studies have examined the prevalence or correlates of sexual violence among college students in Chile. METHODS: An anonymous survey with questions on gender-based violence, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and childhood experiences with violence was administered to students at a major public university in Santiago. Descriptive statistics were generated to determine the prevalence and context of sexual victimization experienced by female students, and ordered logit models were used to identify associated risk factors. RESULTS: Nine percent of subjects reported that the most severe form of undesired sexual contact they had experienced since age 14 was rape; 6% indicated attempted rape and 16% another form of sexual victimization. Seventeen percent of subjects reported having experienced some form of undesired sexual contact in the past 12 months alone. Alcohol or other drugs had been used in most cases of rape or attempted rape, by the victim (6%), the perpetrator (9%) or both (56%). In four sequential models, factors associated with increased odds of victimization included low parental education (Model 1) and childhood sexual abuse (Models 3 and 4); the association between witnessing domestic violence and victimization attained marginal significance (Model 2). Attending religious services during adolescence was associated with reduced odds of victimization (Models 1 and 2). Childhood sexual abuse was the only factor associated with victimization when all variables were included. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of young women in the sample reported experiences of rape, attempted rape or other forms of forced sexual contact, indicating a need for further attention to this public health problem in Chile.

Factores familiares asociados al uso de anticonceptivos en mujeres adolescentes solteras sexualmente activas / Associated familiar factors to use of contraceptives in sexually active unmarried adolescent women

La información de investigaciones previas sugiere que varios factores familiares están fuertemente asociados al uso continuo de anticonceptivos en mujeres adolescentes, solteras, sexualmente activas. Entre los factores familiares más importantes están: filiación, figura de crianza, calidad de la relación familiar, comunicación familiar en temas sexuales, escolaridad de los padres, control parental. El objetivo del presente estudio fue examinar factores familiares que se asocian al uso consistente de anticonceptivos en adolescentes, solteras sexualmente activas. Se estudió 2021 adolescentes, solteras, sexualmente activas que solicitaron en forma confidencial anticonceptivos en CEMERA, entre los años 1990 a 2001. A todas ellas se les aplicó un cuestionario previamente diseñado, en la primera consulta y que fue completado con entrevistas posteriores. Se revisaron las fichas clínicas de cada una de ellas para conocer el tipo de método anticonceptivo indicado y el tiempo de uso. Se compararon dos grupos: adolescentes que usaron el método indicado por mas de 6 meses, llamadas usuarias continuadoras, y adolescentes que usaron por menos de 6 meses el método, usuarias discontinuadoras. Se seleccionaron 18 variables familiares para comparar ambos grupos. La información recolectada fue ingresada a una base de datos para su análisis. Se realizaron análisis uni y bivariado. El software EPI INFO 6.0 fue utilizado. Los resultados muestran que la filiación, figura de crianza, calidad de la relación familiar, escolaridad de los padres, control parental, tipo de castigo y comunicación familiar no muestran diferencias entre los grupos.

Vulvovaginitis en la adolescencia: estudio etiologico

La infección vulvovaginal (IVV) es una causa frecuente de consulta ginecológica en adolescentes siendo Vaginosis bacteriana, candidiasis y trichomoniasis sus etiologías más frecuentes. Estudios anteriores en adolescentes chilenas arrojan cifras disímiles respecto a la contribución de cada una de las etiologías anteriores. Nuestro objetivo fue identificar las etiologías más frecuentes de IVV en adolescentes sintomáticas que consultaron en un Centro de atención adolescente del área Norte de Santiago. Se tomaron muestras de flujo vaginal de 100 adolescentes las que fueron analizadas mediante Gram y cultivo. Noventa y una pacientes tenían vida sexual activa y 9 eran vírgenes. Se detectó 62% de vulvovaginitis, correspondiendo 31% a vaginosis bacteriana (VB), 24% a candidiasis, 2% a trichomoniasis y 5% etiología mixta (VB asociado candidiasis). Se encontró IVV en ambos grupos de adolescentes. Al analizar los resultados por edad, se observó un aumento en la incidencia de vulvovaginitis en adolescentes de mayor edad.