AUTHOR=Wen Xu , Ding Ruoxi , Guo Chao , Zheng Xiaoying 

TITLE=Association between childhood sexual abuse and early sexual debut among Chinese adolescents: The role of sexual and reproductive health education

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Reproductive Health

VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2022

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/reproductive-health/articles/10.3389/frph.2022.909128

DOI=10.3389/frph.2022.909128

ISSN=2673-3153

ABSTRACT=\Background Despite accumulating evidence of long-term impacts of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), few studies have investigated the association between CSA and early sexual debut among adolescents. We examined the relationship between CSA and early initiation of sexual intercourse among Chinese youth, and the role of school-based sex education in this association, based on a nationally representative survey.
Methods Data were drawn from the Survey of Youth Access to Reproductive Health in China (YARHC) conducted in 2009. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between CSA experience and early sexual debut, and the interaction terms between sexual and reproductive health education (SRHE) and CSA were included to examine the role of education in the association between CSA and early sexual debut.
Results Among 4 907 sexually experienced youth, 1 062(21.6%) had early sexual debut. After adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics, CSA experience was significantly associated with early sexual debut, with the adjusted odds ratio of 3.13 (space 95%CI: 1.67, 5.87). Receiving any type of sexuality education (reproductive health, STD and HIV prevention or contraception use) was not associated with decreased risk of early sexual debut.
Conclusion Our results indicate a greater risk of early sexual debut among Chinese adolescents with a history of CSA, and only 46.7% sexually experienced youth had received sex education before, suggested an inadequacy of school-based sexuality education. Targeted intervention with timely and adequate sexuality education for both early starters of sexual intercourse and CSA victims in China are warranted.