The sexual behaviours of adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years involved with the juvenile justice system in Australia: A community-based survey.

Yap, L; Jones, J; Donovan, B; Nathan, S; Sullivan, E; Davison, S; Heffernan, E; Richards, A; Meurk, C; Steele, M; Fisher, C; Ton, B; Butler, T

The sexual behaviours of adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years involved with the juvenile justice system in Australia: A community-based survey.

Yap, L Jones, J Donovan, B Nathan, S Sullivan, E

Davison, S Heffernan, E Richards, A Meurk, C Steele, M Fisher, C Ton, B Butler, T

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Publisher:: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: PloS one, 2020, 15, (12)
Issue Date:: 2020-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Yap, L
dc.contributor.author	Jones, J
dc.contributor.author	Donovan, B
dc.contributor.author	Nathan, S
dc.contributor.author	Sullivan, E https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8718-2753
dc.contributor.author	Davison, S
dc.contributor.author	Heffernan, E
dc.contributor.author	Richards, A
dc.contributor.author	Meurk, C
dc.contributor.author	Steele, M
dc.contributor.author	Fisher, C
dc.contributor.author	Ton, B
dc.contributor.author	Butler, T
dc.date.accessioned	2021-03-17T00:18:31Z
dc.date.available	2020-11-24
dc.date.available	2021-03-17T00:18:31Z
dc.date.issued	2020-01
dc.identifier.citation	PloS one, 2020, 15, (12)
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/147276
dc.description.abstract	<h4>Objectives</h4>To overcome key knowledge gaps in relation to justice involved and vulnerable young people and their sexual health and to compare this group with their peers from other youth health surveys in Australia to determine the extent of the issues.<h4>Methods</h4>Young people, aged between 14 and 17 years, who had ever been or were currently involved with the criminal justice system were purposively sampled. The survey was anonymous and delivered using Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI).<h4>Results</h4>A total of 465 justice involved MeH-JOSH young people, aged between 14 and 17 years, participated in the study: 44% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) and 37% not attending school. Of the total valid responses, 76% (n = 348) reported having ever had sex, with sexual initiation at a median age of 14 years. We compared these data with their peers in other Australian surveys and found that young people in our study had a higher engagement in sex and start having sex at a younger age, reporting more sexual partners at all ages.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The sexual behaviours of young people involved in the justice system in this study suggest they may be at a greater risk for sexually transmissible infections than their age-matched peers in the general population. Policymakers should elevate them to a priority population for targeting sexual health services and health promotion.
dc.format	Electronic-eCollection
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1043693
dc.relation.ispartof	PloS one
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1371/journal.pone.0243633
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	General Science & Technology
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Health Promotion
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Sexual Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Sexual Partners
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Sexual Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Sexual Partners
dc.subject.mesh	Health Promotion
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Health Promotion
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Sexual Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Sexual Partners
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.title	The sexual behaviours of adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years involved with the juvenile justice system in Australia: A community-based survey.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	15
utslib.location.activity	United States
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2021-03-17T00:18:22Z
pubs.issue	12
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	15
utslib.citation.issue	12

Abstract:

Objectives

To overcome key knowledge gaps in relation to justice involved and vulnerable young people and their sexual health and to compare this group with their peers from other youth health surveys in Australia to determine the extent of the issues.

Methods

Young people, aged between 14 and 17 years, who had ever been or were currently involved with the criminal justice system were purposively sampled. The survey was anonymous and delivered using Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI).

Results

A total of 465 justice involved MeH-JOSH young people, aged between 14 and 17 years, participated in the study: 44% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) and 37% not attending school. Of the total valid responses, 76% (n = 348) reported having ever had sex, with sexual initiation at a median age of 14 years. We compared these data with their peers in other Australian surveys and found that young people in our study had a higher engagement in sex and start having sex at a younger age, reporting more sexual partners at all ages.

Conclusions

The sexual behaviours of young people involved in the justice system in this study suggest they may be at a greater risk for sexually transmissible infections than their age-matched peers in the general population. Policymakers should elevate them to a priority population for targeting sexual health services and health promotion.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/147276