Sexual Intercourse and Oral Sex in Young Urban Teens

Introduction: The extent to which sexual behaviors amongst middle school students has been studied is limited. Further, representative samples may underestimate rates of behavior in those populations most at risk. This poster presents rates and patterns of sexual intercourse and oral sex in urban, 13-14 year-old middle school students compared to national rates. Methods: A modified version of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey was administered to 1058 students in an urban Midwestern school district in 2005. Items from the survey assessing lifetime oral sex and sexual intercourse engagement were analyzed among 13-14 year-old male and female students. Results: Higher rates of sexual behaviors occurred in the urban sample. 29.2% of 13-14 year old students ever had sexual intercourse compared to 5% of in the same age range in the national sample. Although fewer students in the urban sample reported ever having had oral sex than sex (18.1%), the rate for oral sex was much higher than the national rate (4%). Sexual behaviors are not mutually exclusive with 5% of students engaging in oral sex only, 17.2% had only sexual intercourse, while 15% reported ever having both sexual intercourse and oral sex. Gender, race, and socioeconomic differences in sexual activity are also explored. Conclusion: Urban middle school students are at increased risk for sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy compared to national averages. The high levels of sexual activity within this population suggest the need for increased resources regarding education and prevention in this age group.