ArticleActa paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)2015
Sexual debut before the age of 14 leads to poorer psychosocial health and risky behaviour in later life.
Article in Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992), 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
36 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Educational Differences in Sexual Health among Adolescents in Europe: A Meta-Analysis.Journal of youth and adolescence · 2026Pooled it
- Sex and substance use behaviors among children of teen mothers: A systematic review.Journal of adolescence · 2020Pooled it
- Timing of Sexual Initiation in Polish Adolescents: A Multilevel Study of Individual, Family, and Contextual Determinants.Archives of sexual behavior · 2026Article
- Prevalence and associated factors of selling sex among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Latin America: results from the Latin American MSM Internet Survey in 18 countries (LAMIS-2018).BMJ global health · 2025Article
- Trends and urban-rural disparities in cervical cancer epidemiology in China, 2005-2018.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- From early sexual debut to later overweight and obesity: a multilevel analysis of Ghanaian women.Tropical medicine and health · 2025Article
- Longitudinal Links Between Sexual Debut and Self-Esteem Development in German Adolescents and Young Adults.Archives of sexual behavior · 2025Article
- Cross-National Trends in Early Sexual Initiation Among 15-Year-Old Adolescents, 2002-2022.International journal of public health · 2025Article
- Article
- Earlier sexual debut as a risk factor for substance use among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kazakhstan.Global social welfare : research, policy & practice · 2024Article
- Timing of sexual debut and associated sociodemographic and HIV risk factors among young people in Eswatini.PloS one · 2024Article
- Sexual experiences, attitudes, enjoyment and regret in the parent and offspring generations of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Childhood (ALSPAC): 2022 data sweep.Wellcome open research · 2024Article
- Young Adult Women and Sexual Awareness in the Digital Age: Examining Pathways Linking Online Dating Debut and Mindfulness with Sexual and Mental Health.Archives of sexual behavior · 2023Article
- Earlier Sexual Debut and Exchange Sex among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Kazakhstan.Journal of sex research · 2023Article
- Sexual, reproductive and mental health among young men (10-24) in low-and-middle income countries: a scoping review.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2023Article
- "Our parents kiss in front of us": Reasons for early sexual debut among in-school youth in the Manzini Region in Eswatini.PloS one · 2023Article
- Identifying sexual risk-taking and ill health in the meeting with young people-experiences of using an assessment tool.Scandinavian journal of caring sciences · 2022Article
- Geographical hotspots and correlates of early sexual debut among women in Ghana.Reproductive health · 2022Article
- Understanding Sexual Health Indicators During Adolescence: A Study to Consider Time Since Sexual Debut When Exploring Multiple Sexual Partners.Archives of sexual behavior · 2022Article
- Association between childhood sexual abuse and early sexual debut among Chinese adolescents: The role of sexual and reproductive health education.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimThis study investigated the relationship between sexual debut before 14 years of age and socio-demographics, sexual experience, health, experience of child abuse and behaviour at 18 years of age.
methodsA sample of 3432 Swedish high school seniors completed a survey about sexuality, health and abuse at the age of 18.
resultsEarly debut was positively correlated with risky behaviours, such as the number of partners, experience of oral and anal sex, health behaviours, such as smoking, drug and alcohol use, and antisocial behaviour, such as being violent, lying, stealing and running away from home. Girls with an early sexual debut had significantly more experience of sexual abuse. Boys with an early sexual debut were more likely to have a weak sense of coherence, low self-esteem and poor mental health, together with experience of sexual abuse, selling sex and physical abuse. A multiple logistic regression model showed that a number of antisocial acts and health behaviours remained significant, but early sexual debut did not increase the risk of psychiatric symptoms, low self-esteem or low sense of coherence at 18 years of age.
conclusionEarly sexual debut was associated with problematic behaviours during later adolescence, and this vulnerability requires attention from parents and healthcare providers.
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