Korean J Gynecol Oncol.
2007 Sep;18(3):209-218.
Sexual behavior of Korean young women: preliminary study for the introducing of HPV prophylactic vaccine
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University Medical College, Korea. pumplee@kumc.or.kr
- 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Korea.
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Korea.
- 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea.
- 5Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
- 6Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
- 7Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.
- 8Department of Preventive Medicine, Catholic University, Korea.
- 9Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
- 10Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The decision of optimal age for administration of recently approved prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in the world depend on the basis of the sexual behavior of each countries. The aim of the study was to survey the age-specific sexual behavior including the sexual debut time and sexual experience in the Korean young women to design the tailored HPV vaccination.
METHODS
This study was conducted by the Synovate Healthcare in the 6 city of Korea e.g. Seoul, Pusan, Daegu, Incheon, Kwangju and Daejon. By a stratified sampling methods 2,400 women aged 12-29 years old were included. The measures of sexual behavior presented in this report were collected by a Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI), in which the respondent enters her own answers into a computer without telling them to an interviewer.
RESULTS
Among women 12-29 years of age, 39 percent of women (934 persons in 2,400 women) and 33 percent of single women (724 persons in 2,190 women) have had vaginal intercourse; 8 percent of women under 19 years old single women (79 persons in 1,045) and 56 percent of single women with 20-29 years old (645 persons in 1,145). Number of sexual partner was 2.8 person and 54 percent of women had more than 2 partners. Age of the first sexual activity (sexual debut) was 21 years old. The age of partner at the sexual debut was 23.2 years old. Sexual experience before 15 years old was only 2%. About the condom, 41% did not use or rarely use.
CONCLUSION
Our data demonstrate that the sexual debut time of young Korean women differ from other countries in which the prophylactic HPV vaccine had already used. We conclude that the optimal age for HPV vaccination in Korea would be determined at 15-17 years old by this situation.
