Associations between source of information about sex and XXXX in Britain: findings from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3).

@entity1 @entity5852 @entity2953 @entity458
OBJECTIVES: To examine variation in source of information about sexual matters by sociodemographic factors, and associations with sexual behaviours and outcomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional probability sample survey. SETTING: British general population. @entity1 : 3408 @entity1 and @entity1 , aged 17-24   years, interviewed from 2010-2012 for third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main source of information (school, a parent, other); age and circumstances of first heterosexual intercourse; unsafe sex and distress about sex in past year; experience of @entity2953 ( @entity2953 ) diagnoses, @entity5852 ( @entity1 only) ever. RESULTS: Citing school was associated with younger age, higher educational level and having lived with both parents. Citing a parent was associated, in @entity1 , with lower educational level and having lived with one parent. Relative to other sources, citing school was associated with older age at first sex (adjusted HR 0.73 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.83) @entity1 , 0.73 (0.65 to 0.82) @entity1 ), lower likelihood of unsafe sex (adjusted OR 0.58 (0.44 to 0.77) @entity1 , 0.69 (0.52 to 0.91) @entity1 ) and previous @entity2953 diagnosis (0.55 (0.33 to 0.91) @entity1 , 0.58 (0.43 to 0.80) @entity1 ) and, in @entity1 , with lower likelihood of lack of sexual competence at first sex; and experience of non-volitional sex, abortion and distress about sex. Citing a parent was associated with lower likelihood of unsafe sex (0.53 (0.28 to 1.00) @entity1 ; 0.69 (0.48 to 0.99) @entity1 ) and, in @entity1 , previous @entity2953 diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Gaining information mainly from school was associated with lower reporting of a range of negative @entity458 , particularly among @entity1 . Gaining information mainly from a parent was associated with some of these, but fewer cited parents as a primary source. The findings emphasise the benefit of school and parents providing information about sexual matters and argue for a stronger focus on the needs of @entity1 .
