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Table 3 Chi2 associations between early sexual initiation and sociodemographics by gender, and adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the association between very early sexual intercourse and sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics by gender

From: Sexual intercourse, age of initiation and contraception among adolescents in Ireland: findings from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Ireland study

 

Chi2 association between early sexual initiation and sociodemographic characteristics

Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) or the association between very early sexual initiation (<  14 years) and sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics

 

Boys (n = 423) % (n)

Girls (n = 300) % (n)

Boys (n = 307)

Girls (n = 237)

 

Very early initiation

Early initiation

Very early initiation

Early initiation

(EXP B) OR

95% C.I. for EXP (B)

(EXP B) OR

95% C.I. for EXP (B)

(n = 141)

(n = 282)

(n = 59)

(n = 241)

Age

 15 years

42.2 (89)***

57.8 (122)

20.2 (26)*

79.8 (103)

0.774

0.457–1.310

0.819

0.439–1.529

 16 years

21.3 (30)

78.8 (111)

11.4 (12)

88.6 (93)

    

 17 years

29.7 (19)

70.3 (45)

30.4 (17)

69.6 (39)

    

 18 years

42.9 (3)

57.1 (4)

40.0 (4)

60.0 (6)

    

Social Class (SES)

 Low

26.3 (15)

73.7 (42)

21.4 (9)

78.6 (33)

1.456

0.598–3.543

1.885

0.527–6.742

 Middle

28.8 (44)

71.2 (109)

17.1 (20)

82.9 (97)

0.985

0.426–2.280

1.144

0.331–3.955

 High

36.4 (44)

63.6 (77)

19.8 (18)

80.2 (73)

1(ref)

 

1(ref)

 

Family affluence (FAS)

 Low

34.0 (17)

66.0 (33)

31.0 (13)

69.0 (29)

1(ref)

 

1(ref)

 

 Middle

29.5 (49)

70.5 (117)

17.8 (23)

82.2 (106)

0.952

0.489–1.854

1.048

0.408–2.692

 High

30.9 (55)

69.1 (123)

17.4 (21)

82.6 (100)

0.775

0.276–2.175

0.812

0.167–3.941

Urban/rural status

 Urban

27.8 (72)*

72.2 (187)

16.0 (31)*

84.0 (163)

1(ref)

 

1(ref)

 

 Rural

42.1 (69)

57.9 (95)

26.4 (28)

73.6 (78)

2.640**

1.303–5.347

3.107*

1.061–9.105

Traveller statusb

 Traveller

68.0 (17)***

32.0 (8)

33.3 (3)

66.7 (6)

1(ref)

 

1(ref)

 

 Non-traveller

30.6 (120)

69.4 (272)

19.2 (55)

80.8 (232)

0.418

0.091–1.914

14.565*

1.489–142.450

Disability/Chronic illness (D/CI)

 D/CI

36.2 (34)

62.3 (60)

22.7 (15)

77.3 (51)

1(ref)

 

1(ref)

 

 No D/CI

32.2 (104)

67.8 (219)

18.8 (43)

81.2 (186)

0.592

0.286–1.228

0.549

0.177–1.698

Household composition

 Living with both parents

33.2 (89)

66.8 (179)

16.8 (31)

83.2 (153)

1(ref)

 

1(ref)

 

 Not living with both parents

33.6 (51)

66.4 (101)

24.3 (28)

75.7 (87)

1.109

0.539–2.280

1.781

0.759–4.183

Lifestyle characteristics

 Positive lifestyle behaviours

  Frequency of physical activity

    

0.945

0.693–1.288

0.686

0.428–1.101

  Active travel

    

1.151

0.857–1.546

0.882

0.553–1.407

  Eating breakfast

    

0.912

0.689–1.208

0.946

0.580–1.543

  Healthy food consumption

    

0.966

0.703–1.328

1.094

0.703–1.703

  Health protective behaviour

    

0.895

0.711–1.127

0.859

0.548–1.347

 Negative lifestyle behaviours

  Alcohol involvement

    

1.303*

1.040–1.632

1.345

0.882–2.052

  Cannabis involvement

    

1.239a

0.998–1.537

1.634**

1.185–2.254

  Unhealthy food from parents

    

1.423*

1.026–1.974

0.867

0.511–1.471

  Tobacco involvement

    

0.930

0.726–1.193

1.321

0.909–1.921

  Unhealthy food consumption

    

1.137

0.826–1.565

1.118

0.741–1.686

 Health

  Experience of health symptoms

    

0.599**

0.416–0.863

0.932

0.647–1.342

  Quality of life

    

1.054

0.766–1.451

1.084

0.683–1.720

  Medication for physical symptoms

    

0.986

0.750–1.297

0.613*

0.414–0.908

  Medication for psychological symptoms

    

1.296*

1.036–1.621

0.935

0.630–1.386

Socio-cultural environment

 Communication with friends

    

0.709**

0.552–0.911

0.987

0.576–1.692

 Sense of community

    

1.191

0.893–1.588

1.248

0.802–1.943

 Poor neighbourhood environment

    

0.834

0.625–1.111

1.429

0.912–2.238

 Bullying others

    

1.216a

0.988–1.496

1.609*

1.110–2.333

 Music and drama

    

1.131

0.743–1.170

0.984

0.623–1.556

 Being bullied

    

1.103

0.835–1.458

1.626*

1.085–2.436

 Club or team activities

    

1.156

0.862–1.551

0.968

0.653–1.434

 Parental communication

    

0.865

0.606–1.234

0.875

0.518–1.479

 Health check ups

    

0.790

0.580–1.076

0.369***

0.234–0.582

  1. a≤.1, * p ≤ .05; ** p ≤ .01; *** p ≤ .001. Nagelkerke R2 = 0.173 (Boys), Nagelkerke R2 = 0.187 (Girls)
  2. bCaution must be taken when extrapolating from this finding given the small sample size