%0 Journal Article
%T First sexual intercourse (sexarche) in youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina
%A Azra Had£¿imehmedovi£¿
%A Adem Bali£¿
%A Devleta Bali£¿
%J Medicinski Glasnik
%D 2012
%I Medical Association of Zenica-Doboj Canton
%X Aim To determine the average age of sexarche in young people in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) in relation to their sex, place and life-style and religion. Methods A survey (anonymous questionnaire) about sexual behavior of young people in the period 2007-2009 on the sample of 6000 individuals (experimental group of 5000 students and control group of 1000 non-students) has been conducted in four major university cities in B&H: Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar, Banja Luka. Results A total of 3.659 (out of 6000, 61%) sexually active youth of which 1871 (51.1%) males, and 1788 (48.9%) females were observed. Among student population there were 3001 (82%), and among non-students 658 (18%) sexually active individuals.The mean (average) age of sexarche in sexually active youth as a whole was 17.34 (SD¡À1.77) in males and 18.20 (SD¡À1.84) in females (p<0.001), and among students and non-students, 17.72 (SD¡À1.81), and 17.92 (SD¡À2.04) (p=0.02), respectively (p=0.01). There was a significant difference of the average values of sexarche among members of different religions, in males ( p<0.001) as well as in females (p=0.004) in both groups. Conclusion Results of this study do not present a descending trend of the average age of first coitus in youth in BiH, which is contrary to the results of other countries.
%K youth
%K sexarche
%K sexual behaviour
%U http://ljkzedo.com.ba/medglasnik/vol91/12.pdf