[Sexual and reproductive health among adolescents in high school in Guadalajara, México].

Background: Some authors define adolescence as the period of transition between childhood and adulthood, a stage characterized by the succession of major physiological, psychological and social human beings.
Objective: To determine the extent of information about preventing sexually transmitted diseases, knowledge and use of contraceptive methods, and to determine the percentage of high school teenagers who have initiated sex and age of onset.
Material and Method: We have realized a transverse descriptive study in 754 students from public junior high school number 54 in the city of Guadalajara, during the 2005-2006 school year. We have applied a survey that included questions about sexual health, and aspects as knowledge and use of contraceptive methods and concepts on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Data were captured in a database in Excel, and then analyzed using SPSS.
Results: It included 641 students who agreed to complete the questionnaire by signed consent. The source of information on sex education is the most important school. The 84.5% of students surveyed know at least one contraceptive method, of which the condom is the best known (73.3%). The 84% of teenagers know how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Of all students, only 46 (7.2%) have initiated sexual activity of which 100% of males used contraception while only 63.3% of women did.
Conclusions: It is necessary to establish or strengthen information programs on sexual health for adolescents, not only in schools if not in the media.