Biomedical subjects

Willy Pedersen

Publications and source records attributed to Willy Pedersen.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

[Abortion among young women--the importance of family environment factors and social class].

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate possible associations between social background, other aspects of childhood environment and induced abortion among young women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Norwegian girls (N = 2,198), comprising a representative sample, were followed up through three data collections from they were in their teens in 1992 till they were young adult women (20 - 27 years) seven years later. A questionnaire was used to collect the data and the analyses were conducted by Cox regression. The response rate for the first data collection was 97%. The cumulative response rate over all three data collections was 69 %. RESULTS: In young adulthood we uncovered a steady reduction of induced abortion rates with increasing educational level. Women who had grown up in Northern Norway had higher rates than other women. There was a lower risk for induced abortion when parents were well educated and had fairly good jobs. Further, there were associations to parental divorce, weak parental monitoring and parental alcohol abuse. INTERPRETATION: A host of socioeconomic factors are associated with abortion risk. We need more thorough knowledge about these factors. We can, however, conclude that preventive efforts in this area should be targeted towards groups with risk factors.

Abortion, Legal↗

PubMed2004

[Mobile phones, web chat, and sex among Norwegian adolescents].

BACKGROUND: We investigated the associations between new interactive technology for communication, such as web chat or mobile phones, and sexual behaviour among Norwegian adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A representative sample of adolescents (age 13-18, N = 10,926) filled in a questionnaire during school hours; the response rate was 92%. RESULTS: Most adolescents have access to communication technology, but how much they use it varies. In particular with regard to mobile phones, a strong association to sexual behaviour was found. Among those who did not use the new technology, less than 10% reported having had intercourse while two out of three of the most active users reported intercourse. The associations remained significant when controls were made for age and a range of contextual, family, peer and individual factors. INTERPRETATION: Norwegian adolescents have changed their sexual behaviour over the last decade. The introduction and widespread use of new communication technology is one of the most salient changes over the same period. The findings suggest that this technology may in fact be of importance to teenagers' sexual socialisation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[New patterns of sexual behaviour among adolescents].

BACKGROUND: We wanted to investigate erotic and sexual behaviour in adolescents, with emphasis on the trend over the last decade. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two large, survey-based representative studies of Norwegian adolescents (each with approx. 11 000 respondents) from 1992 and 2002 (response rates 97% and 92%). FINDINGS: Median age at first intercourse has decreased by 12 months in females over this ten-year time span (to 16.7 years), while the decrease among males was more modest. Furthermore, oral sex now has the same prevalence as coitus from the mid-teen years on and seems to be introduced at the same point in time. Finally, females are as inclined as males to break the norm of being in love as the basis for a sexual relationship. INTERPRETATION: More adolescents are now sexually active and more risky sexual behaviour might be a consequence. However, the findings also suggest increased gender equality and a new cohort of more sexually active and self-confident females.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Children and adolescents who sell sex: a community study.

Adolescents who reported to have given sexual favors for payment were investigated. The sample consisted of all adolescents in the public and private school systems in Oslo, the capital in Norway (age group 14-17, response rate 94.3%, N=10,828). Adolescents who had sold sex form 1.4%, three times as many boys as girls. Half the group had done it more than 10 times. Most were under the legal age of sex in Norway (16 years) when this first happened. We found no associations with sociodemographic variables or residential area in Oslo. However, sex sale was associated with low intercourse debut age, conduct problems, alcohol problems, use of drugs (including heroin) and violent victimization. The conclusion is that a small group in the general adolescent population sells sex, and many of the clients are assumed to be homosexual or bisexual men. Adolescents who take part in these activities are often heavily involved in delinquent behaviors and use of drugs, and many probably are in a risk zone for sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV), drug abuse and a delinquent and criminal development.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Intercourse debut age: poor resources, problem behavior, or romantic appeal? a population-based longitudinal study.

The most important predictors of early intercourse debut are reported to be poor social resources and early developing problem behaviors. In this study we have a new, additional emphasis on variables related to self-concept and social acceptance. In a population-based longitudinal study, 1399 Norwegians were followed over a 7-year span. We analyzed data using multivariate Cox-regression techniques. Early intercourse debut was part of a broader spectrum of problem behaviors, including early alcohol intoxication and early-developing conduct problems. A new finding was that a positive self-concept in the domain of romantic appeal was also a strong predictor, but only for boys. We suggest that the findings may have important implications for prevention and more research should be conducted along this line.

Adolescent↗