New Survey on Sex in U.S., Biggest Since 1994

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U.S.teensarenotasrecklessassomepeoplemightthinkwhenitcomestosex,andtheyaremuchmorelikelytousecondomsthanpeopleover40,accordingtoasurveyreleasedonMondaythatcouldhelpguidepublichealthpolicy.



ThestudyfromsexresearchersatIndianaUniversityandpaidforbyTrojancondommakerChurchDwightCoisthemostcomprehensivelookatsexbehaviorsintheUnitedStatesinthepast20years.



Somefindingsheartenedpublichealthofficials--oneinfouractsofvaginalintercourseinvolvecondomuse.Andamongpeoplewhoaresingle,thatfigureisoneinthree.



CondomuseishigheramongblackandHispanicAmericansthanamongwhites,andislowestamongpeopleover40,thenationallyrepresentativeInternetsurveyof5,865Americansaged14to94found.



Theresults,presentedinninepeer-reviewedstudiesintheJournalofSexualMedicine,debunkedstereotypesaboutteensbeingrecklesswhenitcomestosex.



Only14percentof14-year-oldboysreportedanykindofsexualinteractionwithapartnerinthepriorthreemonths,butalmost40percentof17-year-oldmalesdid,IndianaUniversityresearcherDr.DennisFortenberrytoldamediabriefing,addingthatthefindingsweresimilarinfemales.



Hesaidmanyteensreachage18withnosexualexperience,andforthosewhodohavesex,condomuseisroutine.



"Inthisstudy,somewherebetween70and80percentofadolescentsreportedcondomuseattheirmostrecentvaginalintercourse,"Fortenberrysaid.



"Thisindicateswe'vehadarealpublichealthsuccessthatweneedtoacknowledge."





Theteamfoundthatinthepast20years,mostadultshavemovedfarfromthetraditionalnotionofsexasvaginalintercourse.Peopleinthesurveyreportedengagingin41sexualpracticesincludingoralandanalsex.



"Whilevaginalintercourseisstillthemostcommonsexualbehaviorbyadults,manysexualeventsdonotinvolveintercourse,"IndianaUniversityresearcherDebraHerbenick,anexpertinwomen'ssexualhealth,toldatelephonebriefing.



Otherfindings:



*Some85percentofmensaytheirsexualpartnerexperiencedorgasmduringsex,butjust64percentofwomensaytheydid.



*About7percentofwomenand8percentofmensurveyedsaidtheyaregay,lesbianorbisexual,butthenumberofpeoplewhohavehadsame-gendersexishigher,theteamsaid.



*Aboutathirdofwomensaytheyexperiencedpainduringtheirmostrecentsexencounter,comparedwith5percentofmen.Herbenicksaidmoreresearchisneededtounderstandwhy.



*Menaremorelikelytoexperienceorgasmwhensexincludesvaginalintercourse,whilewomenaremorelikelytowhentheyengageinavarietyofsexactsandwhenoralsexorvaginalintercourseisincluded,thesurveyfound.



HerbenicksaidunderstandingU.S.adults'sexualexperiencesaffectspublichealth,apointalsomadebyformerU.S.SurgeonGeneralDr.JoycelynElders.



"Inorderforphysicians,nurses,pharmacists,andotherhealthcareprofessionalstoprovidesexualhealthinformationtotheirpatients,theymustfirsthavetheunderstandingofwhatthesexualbehaviorsareinthecommunityandhowtheyaremanifested,"Elderswroteinacommentary.



Dr.KevinFentonoftheU.S.CentersforDiseaseControlandPreventionsaidthepaperswillhelpastheWhiteHouserollsoutthenewU.S.AIDSpolicy.



"Wemustseizethismoment,"Fentonwroteinacommentary.