Age-related increase in sexual behaviours and decrease in regular condom use among adolescents in Australia

The prevalence of sexual behaviours was estimated from a survey of 3854 Australian secondary school students. Self-reproted prevalence of intercourse increased from 9.9% (age 13 years or less) to 23.9% (age 15) and 51.2% at age 17 and over. Among 932 sexually experienced youth in the final 3 years of secondary school, 26% of males and 18% of females reported having 3 or more partners in the previous year; 89.4% had used a condom at least once, with males (71.8%) reporting more least occasion condom use than females (53.4%). 'Last occasion' and 'usual', but not lifetime, condom use was significantly lower among older respondents. Although nearly 90% of females in each of 3 age groups reported that condoms were always used during intercourse. The decline with age, noted in research with adults and older adolescents, may begin in the middle teens