Sexual relationships among adolescents from three private high schools from Santa Marta, Colombia: Associated factors

Background: Sexual behavior in adolescents is related to sexuallytransmissible diseases and not planned pregnancies. Sexual intercourse prevalence is unknown among student adolescents fromSanta Marta, Colombia. Objective: To determine the prevalenceand related factors with sexual relationships in adolescent studentsbetween 13 to 17 year-old of three private high schools at SantaMarta. Method: A transversal study was done with the applicationof a self-administrated survey that inquired into sexual behavior andhealth risk behaviors. In order to establish associations and controlling for other variables a logistic regression model was carried out. Results: 767 students participated with an average age was 14.5 (SD 1.2), 50.1% male, and a mean scholastic was 9.6 years (SD 1.1). Lifetime prevalence of sexual relationship was 25.0% (95%CI21.9-28.1). Reporting having sexual relationship was associated withbeing a girl (OR 0.68, 95%CI 0.04-0.11), being younger (OR 0.45,95%CI 0.33-0.62), not lifetime cigarette smoking (OR 0.24, 95%CI0.12-0.48) nor alcohol consumption (OR 0.51, 95%CI 0.33-0.79).Conclusions: A quarter of the adolescents students, aged from 13 to17 years, reports sexual intercourse, this is related to risky behaviors for health such as cigarette and alcohol consumption.