Oral contraceptives and adolescent sexual behavior: The relationship examined

Includes bibliographical references (pages 52-55)The purpose of this study, conducted at the Santa Fe Springs Youth Clinic, was to examine the relationship between taking oral contraceptives by adolescents and their subsequent sexual behavior. The central issue investigated was whether subsequent sexual activity significantly increased, significantly decreased or remained the same as before usage of oral contraceptives. The study also focused on subject's attitudes on topics identified as influencing sexual behavior. These topics included peers, family, religion, self-esteem and attitudes about sexual behavior itself. A structured interview was utilized to obtain data relating to demographic information, subject to sexual behavior before and six to eight months after taking oral contraceptives, and subject's attitudes on five related topics. The sample size included 96 females in the Before Group (i.e., females who had not begun usage of oral contraceptives) and 96 females in the after group (i.e., females having taken oral contraceptives six to eight months). All subjects were between the ages of 15-20, never married and had never taken oral contraceptives before coming to the clinic. Demographic data were analyzed with a t-test corrected by the fisher randomness test for continuity. To analyze data relating to\ud before and after sexual behavior, a t-test for independent groups was employed. Chi square tests were calculated to investigate attitudes on the five topics relating to sexual behavior. See more in text