RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To identify sexual behaviour in adolescents. DESIGN: Transversal, descriptive study, by means of an anonymous structured questionnaire. SETTING: Urban secondary school. PARTICIPANTS: Simple random sample of 84 students (4th year of ESO--c. 15/16 years old). MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Personal details, sexual practices, use of condoms. RESULTS: 61.9% were girls. Average age was 16.4 (95% CI, 16.2-16.6). They had a girl/boy-friend or casual partner (33.7%) and stable partner (60.7%). 82.2% had total or sufficient trust. Boys' first masturbation was between 14 and 16 (46.8%). 100% had done so by the age of 16. 72.3% of girls had never masturbated at this age (P<.001).Boys' first kiss on the lips occurred between 14 and 16 (46.8%); 100% had done so by 16. 60.7% of girls had done so between 14 and 16, and 92.2% by 16.30.1% of boys had had their first experience of coitus by the age of the questionnaire, whereas 22.5% of girls had. Both sexes used a condom on 71.4% of occasions.38.1% had sex with penetration, 46.2% masturbated. 22.2% had had 2 sexual partners, 8.9% had had 3, and 40.0% had had 4 or more. Condoms were used in 83.3% of relationships with penetration. CONCLUSIONS: This is a sexually active population, susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and unwanted pregnancies, as it does not use condoms in every relationship involving penetration. Health education activities need to be encouraged.
