 |
 |

Gender Differences in Risk Behaviors Associated With Forced or Pressured Sex
Lydia A. Shrier, MD, MPH;
Judith Dwyer Pierce, EdD;
S. Jean Emans, MD;
Robert H. DuRant, PhD
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998;152:57-63.
Objective To determine whether gender-specific patterns of risk behaviors are associated with a self-reported history of ever having been forced or pressured to have sexual intercourse among sexually active adolescents.
Subjects and Methods In 1995, 21297 eighth- through 12th-grade students in 79 public and private schools in Vermont were anonymously surveyed. Data were analyzed for 7884 sexually active students (3931 girls and 3953 boys). Demographic variables and indicators of violence, suicide, recent substance use, sexual behavior, pregnancy, and weight control behavior were assessed. Data were analyzed with multiple logistic regression.
Results Of the sexually active students, 30.3% of the girls and 9.9% of the boys reported ever being forced or pressured to have sexual intercourse. Among sexually active girls, being in 1 or more physical fights in the past year (odds ratio [OR], 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40-1.94), seriously considering suicide (OR, 1.97; CI, 1.69-2.31), more years of sexual activity (OR, 1.52; CI, 1.43-1.61), not using a condom at last sexual intercourse (OR, 1.28; CI, 1.09-1.49), and having been pregnant more often (OR, 1.40; CI, 1.16-1.69) were associated with having been forced or pressured to have sex. For sexually active boys, seriously considering suicide (OR, 1.64; CI, 1.23-2.20), more years of sexual activity (OR, 1.21; CI, 1.12-1.31), more male partners in the past 3 months (OR, 1.30; CI, 1.14-1.48), more female partners in the past 3 months (OR, 1.09; CI, 1.01-1.18), not using a condom at last sexual intercourse (OR, 1.37; CI, 1.03-1.82), having been involved in more pregnancies (OR, 1.64; CI, 1.29-2.08), and having vomited or used laxatives (OR, 3.44; CI, 2.18-5.43) were associated with having been forced or pressured to have sex.
Conclusions Patterns of risk behaviors differed among sexually active male and female adolescents reporting being forced or pressured to have sex. Having been forced or pressured to have sex was associated with externalizing behavior, such as fighting, among girls and with internalizing behavior, such as bulimia, among boys. These unexpected associations have notable implications for screening adolescents for a history of having been forced or pressured to have sex.
From the Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass (Drs Shrier, Emans, and DuRant); and the Department of Education, College of Education and Social Service, University of Vermont, Burlington (Dr Pierce). Dr Pierce is now with Research and Development, School Health Programs, Educational Development Center, Newton, Mass. Dr DuRant is now with the Department of Pediatrics, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES
 |
Care of the Adolescent Sexual Assault Victim
Kaufman and and the Committee on Adolescence
Pediatrics 2008;122:462-470.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Suicide Attempts Among Minority Adolescents: Ending the Silence
Bonomi and Kelleher
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2007;161:609-610.
FULL TEXT
Gender Differences in Extrafamilial Sexual Abuse Experiences Among Young Teens
Edinburgh et al.
The Journal of School Nursing 2006;22:278-284.
ABSTRACT
Sex Parties: Female Teen Sexual Experimentation
Toscano
The Journal of School Nursing 2006;22:285-289.
ABSTRACT
Dating Violence and Sexually Transmitted Disease/HIV Testing and Diagnosis Among Adolescent Females
Decker et al.
Pediatrics 2005;116:e272-e276.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Dating Violence and Associated Sexual Risk and Pregnancy Among Adolescent Girls in the United States
Silverman et al.
Pediatrics 2004;114:e220-e225.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Temporal Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and Self-reported Sexually Transmitted Disease Among Adolescents
Shrier et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2002;156:599-606.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Opportunities for Appropriate Care: Health Care and Contraceptive Use Among Adolescents Reporting Unwanted Sexual Intercourse
Wilson and Klein
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2002;156:341-344.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Dating Violence Against Adolescent Girls and Associated Substance Use, Unhealthy Weight Control, Sexual Risk Behavior, Pregnancy, and Suicidality
Silverman et al.
JAMA 2001;286:572-579.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Care of the Adolescent Sexual Assault Victim
Committee on Adolescence
Pediatrics 2001;107:1476-1479.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Abused Boys, Battered Mothers, and Male Involvement in Teen Pregnancy
Anda et al.
Pediatrics 2001;107:19e-19.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
History of Forced Sex in Association With Drug Use and Sexual HIV Risk Behaviors, Infection With STDs, and Diagnostic Medical Care: Results From the Young Women Survey
MOLITOR et al.
J Interpers Violence 2000;15:262-278.
ABSTRACT
Gender Differences in Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents Who Experience Date Fighting
Kreiter et al.
Pediatrics 1999;104:1286-1292.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Addressing Sexual Abuse in the Primary Care Setting
Leder et al.
Pediatrics 1999;104:270-275.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
The Relationship Between Early Age of Onset of Initial Substance Use and Engaging in Multiple Health Risk Behaviors Among Young Adolescents
DuRant et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1999;153:286-291.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
|