Survival analysis on premarital sexual experience among Thai Youth.
Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. C10725)
Manirul Islam Khan DR, Priyakamon S. Islam Khan MR Community for Reproductive Health and Population Development, Dhaka, Bangladesh
The study examined the survival probabilities between the background of demographic, socioeconomic characteristics, peer relationship of Thai youth and levels of knowledge of HIV/AIDS in relation to different length of time of premarital sexual experience since age at first sexual experience. It is a cross ctional survey he analysis drew upon data from the nationally representative survey 'The Family and Youth Survey (FAYS)' conducted in 1994 by the Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Thailand. In the analysis, only 840 cases from 2, 180 youth aged of 15-24 years who had sexual experience during the period of survey were selected. 62 % had experienced premarital sexual intercourse. The mean age at first sex was 17.5 years. 64 % didn't use any kind of protection. Cox proportional hazard model was applied. Gender, age, first partner and having voluntary sexual intercourse were statistically effect to the survival time of premarital sexual experience (p < 0.05). While education, occupation, annual income and level of knowledge of HIV/AIDS can not explain the model significantly. The results from an analysis showed that males were more likely to have premarital sexual experienced with 1.6 folds compared with female (p < 0.05). The younger (15-19) was more likely to have premarital sex more than the older (p < 0.05). The results suggested that to improve knowledge about HIV/AIDS is not likely to affect the prevalence of premarital sexual experience, but it can certainly promote safe sex practice. More publicity should be provided and attention given to help sexually active adolescents to use effective methods of protection against pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS, especially safe sex. Future research should focus on protection against HIV/AIDS and peer relationship under Thai cultural context. *The acknowledgement was given to Assc. prof. Chai Podhisita, Chief of FAYS project.
Keywords: AEGIS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Safe Sex, HIV, Survival Analysis, Coitus, HIV Infections, Prevalence, Adolescent Behavior, Data Collection, Thailand, Proportional Hazards Models, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Knowledge, Adolescent, Human, Male, Adolescence, Female
