Contraception and interaction among Dutch boys and girls.

ABSTRACT

PIP In 1986, 337 Dutch youths aged 15-19 were asked to complete a questionnaire on their sexual and contraceptive behavior, their behavior with respect to AIDS prevention, and the sex education they had received. Of those who completed the questionnaire, 42% of the men and 33% of the women had experienced sexual intercourse. 71% of the men and 65% of the women who had experienced sexual intercourse expected to do so on their first episode, while 50% of the women had explicitly discussed it with their boyfriends beforehand. More than 70% used effective contraception at first intercourse, with 40% using condoms, 20% using the pill, and almost 10% combining both methods. At most recent intercourse, 85% used the pill and/or condoms. While 50% of the sexually active teens reported having always used contraception, 10% had had sexual intercourse more than five times without contraceptive protection. Further, 43% of boys compared to 15% of girls reported either initiating condom use or using condoms more regularly to protect themselves against HIV infection. 75% of the teens received sex education from one or both parents, although boys tended to be comparatively more neglected in this regard by their parents than girls. The central element of the three-year study on the sexual and contraceptive behavior of adolescents was, however, a qualitative comparison between the sexual lifestyles and interaction skills of 39 girls who visited a family planning clinic to obtain contraception and 34 girls who visited a clinic for an abortion. The abortion clients were less effective contraceptors than the girls from the other group, while the effectiveness of contraceptive use was more permanent in the family planning clinic group. While family planning seekers view contraception as a functional tool to prevent unwanted pregnancies, abortion seekers were more preoccupied by the sexual aspect of contraception rather than by its original function such that sex seemed to be less self-evident for the abortion clients than for the girls from the family planning clinic. Furthermore, abortion clients were less active than contraception seekers during precoital negotiation with their sex partners, and had comparatively less control over what happened during sexual contacts. The author stresses that sex education programs must educate young audiences, but also explicitly focus upon the possibilities of changes in attitude and behavior, negotiation skills, and the need for equal responsibility among sex partners about what happens during intercourse.^ieng