Citation

Loftus J, Kelly BC. J. Adolesc. Health 2012; 50(2): 195-197.

Affiliation

Department of Sociology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.04.014

PMID

22265116

Abstract

PURPOSE: To examine the short-term effects on the sexual health of adolescent boys in age discordant relationships. METHODS: Weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted using data from waves 1 and 2 of the National Survey of Adolescent Health to determine the health effects of entry into an age discordant relationship on adolescent boys. RESULTS: Results indicate that boys involved in an age discordant relationship, in comparison with boys in a similar age relationship, had higher odds of having had sexual intercourse (OR = 2.92), having got a partner pregnant (OR = 1.89), having been diagnosed with STD (OR = 4.41), and having lost one's virginity (OR = 3.39). Analyses on the sexually active subset reveal no significant relationship between involvement in an age discordant relationship and birth control use broadly, or condom use specifically, at their most recent sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: In general, entering into an age discordant relationship as a younger partner is associated with some adverse sexual health effects for adolescent boys. Thus, some outcomes that were demonstrated in previous research to be problematic for adolescent girls dating significantly older males are similarly problematic for adolescent boys dating older females.

Language: en