Chapter 14. Sexual Behaviors of U.S. High School Students

14.1 Sexual Behaviors of U.S. High School Students

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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.

Welcome

Sexual Behaviors of U.S.
High School Students

Featuring an interactive map and recent data, this activity examines how sexually active high school students in the United States really are.

Click the 'Get Started' button below to start this activity

Two sliver-colored condom packets
Volodymyr Krasyuk/Shutterstock

14.2 Sexual Behaviors of U.S. High School Students

Sexual Behaviors of U.S. High School Students

Adults sometimes assume the worst about adolescence, fearing that contemporary teenagers are having more sex, using more drugs and alcohol, and so on, than in years past. This is not the case: Teen births have decreased significantly, contraception use has increased, and the teen abortion rate today is about half that of 20 years earlier. As evident in the graphs you are about to see, U.S. teens overall are waiting longer to have sex and are having less of it, thus accounting for these positive trends.

Go to map

An all-state map of the United States where each state can be clicked to display data on school students’ sexual activity for that particular state.

Click on each button to see the percentage of high school students who:

  • 1. Have ever had sexual intercourse
  • 2. Had their first sexual intercourse before age 13
  • 3. Have had sexual intercourse with four or more people
  • 4. Are currently sexually active.
An all-state map of the United States where each state can be clicked to display data on school students’ sexual activity for that particular state.

14.3 Sexual Behaviors of U.S. High School Students

Sexual Behaviors of U.S. High School Students

Two sliver-colored condom packets
Volodymyr Krasyuk/Shutterstock

Question 14.1 Decrease in High school students' sexual activity

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Your answer could address any number of cultural, educational, and/or religious trends that have emerged over the last 20 years.

14.4 Activity Completed!

Congratulations! You have completed this activity.

REFERENCES

MMWR. (2018, June 15). Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 2017. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 67, 1–114.

MMWR. (1998, August 14). Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 1997. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47, 1–89.