[Sexual behaviour among school adolescents in Córdoba]. / Comportamiento sexual de los escolares adolescentes en la ciudad de Córdoba.

OBJECTIVE: To know sexual behaviour among school teenagers and to determine different risk behaviors and groups with specific needs of health education. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: High-schools from Córdoba. PARTICIPANTS: 893 teenagers students selected by random sample. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Anonymous self-rated survey about sexual behaviour and uses of contraceptives methods. MAIN RESULTS: The average age was 17.16 years (95% CI, 17.05-17.26), 48% males. 22.9% have had completed sexual relations; there were mainly girls (P=.001). The average age for the first relation was 16.64 years (95% CI, 16.45-16.82), with no difference between gender. Among girls, first sexual intercourse use to be with their regular partners (P<.001). 48% of the girls have had one or more sexual intercourse per week, that was only a 19.5% among boys (P<.001). 82% had used a contraceptive method at the first time, and the condom was the method more frequently used. CONCLUSIONS: 20% of school teenagers have had complete sexual intercourse, most of them before 18 years. Girls have more frequently sexual relations, usually with their regular partners. Condom is the contraceptive method more frequently used.

[Knowledge about AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents]. / Conocimientos de los adolescentes sobre el sida y las enfermedades de transmisión sexual.

OBJECTIVE: To determine knowledge about AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among school adolescent in order to define their lacks, and those aspects to include in programs of health education. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Secondary schools from Córdoba. PARTICIPANTS: 893 teen students. Stratified random sample. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Anonymous self administered survey. Dates related with knowledge about AISD, STD and its mechanism of transmission. MAIN RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 17.16 years (95% CI, 17.05-17.26) and 48% was men. 56.7% (95% CI, 53.46-59.94) recognize to be very informed about AIDS and STD, finding significant differences among public (58.9%) and private schools (51.6%) (P=.045). About AIDS, the mean of successes was 8.81 (95% CI, 8.69-8.92; limits 0-12), finding positive differences among men (P=.048); older students (P=.003); public schools (P=.025), and the students non believers (P=.021). About STD, the mean of successes was of 2.47 (95% CI, 2.35-2.78; limits 0-12), with significant differences among women (P=.045); older students (P=.001) and public schools (P=.001). About AIDS sexual transmission, the mean of successes was of 13 (95% CI, 12.87-13.12; limits 0-16), without differences between sex, classrooms or type of schools. CONCLUSIONS: Level of knowledge shown by adolescents for aspects related to STD is poor. Likewise, the information about AIDS can be consider as enough, being men those that to present a bigger degree of knowledge.

[Tobacco consumption among school children and its relation to the environment]. / Consumo de tabaco entre escolares de E.G.B. y su relación con el entorno.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to know the prevalence of tobacco consumption and the influence of the immediate environment in schoolchildren. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants were a random sample of 1,195 sixth and eighth grade schoolchildren from our rural area (N = 14,537) with a mean age of 12.7 +/- 1.27 years. Data were collected from a confidential and anonymous survey about tobacco consumption. RESULTS: We found that 18.6% of children are currently smokers and 22% of them smoke daily. Forty-four percent of schoolchildren had tried tobacco occasionally. The mean age to start tobacco consumption was 11 years old. Regarding family environment, 56% of the fathers consumed tobacco daily in contrast to 22% of mothers. Logistic-regression analyses showed an independent association between smoking habits, alcohol and coffee consumption and smoking (habit in the best friend). CONCLUSIONS: A great number of schoolchildren had consumed tobacco occasionally. Group of friends had an important influence in the smoking habit, unlike the family environment. Moreover, tobacco consumption showed an independent association with bad habits like drinking alcohol and coffee.

[Alcohol consumption and environmental influence among school children]. / Consumo de alcohol e influencia del entorno entre escolares de E.G.B.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to know the attitude towards alcohol and its consumption among schoolchildren. We also studied the influence of the immediate environment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants were a random sample of sixth and eight grade schoolchildren during the 1995 school year from our rural area (n = 14,537). Data were collected from a confidential and anonymous survey about attitude and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: We found that 63% of children had tried alcohol occasionally. Forty-seven percent of them drank on a regular basis. Furthermore, 8% of this group consumed beer daily. Among frequent drinkers, 20.4% had gotten drunk at some time and this was more frequent among boys (p < 0.01) and older students. Forty percent of children did not think alcohol was a drug. Regarding family environment, 37% of fathers consumed alcohol daily in contrast to 4% of mothers. Logistic-regression analyses showed an independent association between alcohol consumption and smoking habits. CONCLUSIONS: A great number of schoolchildren and consumed alcohol occasionally. Boys and older students had gotten drunk more frequently than girls. Moreover, they believe that alcohol is not a drug and cannot perceive it as a harmful substance.