Sexual orientation and its impact on sexual behaviour of young people aged 15-29: a cross-sectional study

Aims. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a direct relation between sexual orientation and sexual practices involving penetration; to analyse whether condom use in the first sexual relation was conditioned by sexual orientation; to verify whether consistent condom use in sexual relations was determined by sexual orientation. Background. Recent research suggests that sexual orientation (i.e. heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality) is a determining factor in high-risk sexual behaviour. Design. A cross-sectional study with purposive sampling. Methods. Data were collected between March 2013-April 2014 from 900 participants (524 males and 376 females). All participants were 15-29 years of age. Their mean age was 20.93 years. The participants were given a socio-demographic survey as well as a psychometric test on high-risk sexual behaviour, which had been used in previous studies. Results. There were no statistically significant differences in relation to sexual orientation and sexual practices involving penetration either in the general model for both sexes or in the models for men and women. It was also found that sexual orientation did not significantly affect condom use in the first sexual relation. Furthermore, consistent condom use had a protector effect in the general model for homosexuals and bisexuals. In the model for men, this was also true for homosexuals and in the model for women, this was the case for bisexuals. Conclusion. Condom use in the first sexual relation was similar in all sexual orientations. However, the sexual orientation of the subject was found to be a determining factor in consistent condom use.