In a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a notable decline in the rate of sexual activity among teenagers in the United States has been identified, particularly among boys. The report, published on Thursday, sheds light on changing trends in teenage behaviour, emphasizing a shift towards safer practices.
MALE TEENAGERS
According to the CDC’s findings, there is a significant decrease in the percentage of sexually active male teenagers, reflecting a 1.5% drop compared to data from 2002. However, the percentage of sexually active female teenagers has remained relatively stable. Notably, nearly four out of five female teenagers between 2015 and 2019 utilized contraception during their first sexual encounter, indicating a positive shift in safe sex awareness among American teens.
The comprehensive report, based on interviews with over 21,000 individuals, including 3,800 teenage boys and girls, sought to provide insights into sexual activity and contraception use among teenagers. Key findings include:
In the period of 2015–2019, 37.4% of female teenagers and 34.2% of male teenagers reported having sex in the past 12 months.
The percentage of sexually active teenagers in the past 3 months was 29.8% among females and 24.9% among males during 2015–2019.
RACE AND ETHNICITY
An intriguing aspect of the report is the exploration of disparities in sexual activity based on race and ethnicity. Among females, Black teenagers exhibited higher percentage (45.7%) of sexual activity compared to Hispanic (34.1%) and White (37.3%) teenagers. Similar trends were observed among males, with higher percentages of sexual activity among Black (43.4%) and Hispanic (38.9%) teenagers compared to their White counterparts (29.5%).
THE REASONS FOR ABSTAINING
Furthermore, the report delves into the reasons teenagers provided for abstaining from sex:
- Among girls, 32.5% cited it was “against religion or morals,” 25.3% hadn’t “found the right person yet,” and 15.9% didn’t “want to get pregnant.”
- Among boys, 35.3% said they hadn’t “found the right person yet,” 26.2% considered sex “against religion or morals,” and 11.1% did not “want to get a female pregnant.”
- Surprisingly, the least chosen reason for abstaining from sex was “Don’t want to get a sexually transmitted disease.”
CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE
The report also highlights the ever-use of contraceptive methods among teenagers, revealing that nearly all sexually experienced female teenagers used some method of contraception, with 98.9% having used any method in 2015–2019. Condoms (95.4%), withdrawal (64.8%), and the pill (52.0%) were identified as the most-used methods among female teenagers during this period.
In conclusion, the CDC’s report paints a nuanced picture of shifting trends in teenage sexual activity in the United States. The increased use of contraception, coupled with changing attitudes and disparities among different demographics, signals a positive evolution towards safer practices among American teens.
