Sexual Health of Canadian Youth: Findings from the Canadian Youth, Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Study‪.‬

Abstract: The Canadian Youth, Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Study conducted in 2002-2003 surveyed a national sample of over 10,000 students in grades 7, 9 and 11. This paper presents the key findings on sexual behaviour including number of steady boyfriend/girlfriend relationships in the past year, sexual behaviours experienced, and for grades 9 and 11 only, experience of oral sex and sexual intercourse, reasons for having or not having had intercourse, experience of non-consensual sexual intercourse, contraception use at last intercourse, condom use and attitudes, experience of unintended pregnancy, and sense of self-efficacy in HIV/AIDS prevention. Compared to the last such national study conducted in 1988, males but not females were less likely to have had intercourse and all students were significantly more likely to believe they could protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. Key words: Teen sexual behaviour, national Canadian survey, sexual health.