• Age of sexual debut

Corresponding Mandatory Objectives

• To decrease the rate of pregnancy in women 15-19 years of age to 40 per 1000 population by the year 2005.
• To increase access to contraception for individuals in need to decrease unplanned pregnancy.
• To increase the awareness and knowledge about personal responsibility and life skills required to deal with sexual relationships and behaviours including the impact of alcohol and other drugs.

Corresponding National Indicators

• None

Data Sources (see Resources: Data Sources)

Numerator & Denominator: 1996/97 Ontario Health Survey (OHS)
Original source: Statistics Canada
Distributed by:
1. Health Planning Branch, Ontario MOHLTC
2. Statistics Canada
Suggested citation (see Data Citation Notes):
1. Ontario Health Survey 1996/97, Statistics Canada, Share File, Health Planning Branch, Ontario MOHLTC
2. Ontario Health Survey 1996/97, Statistics Canada, Public Use Microdata File, Statistics Canada

Numerator & Denominator: Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)
Original source: Statistics Canada
Distributed by:
1. Health Planning Branch, Ontario MOHLTC
2. Statistics Canada
Suggested citation (see Data Citation Notes):
1. Canadian Community Health Survey [year], Statistics Canada, Share File, Health Planning Branch, Ontario MOHLTC
2. Canadian Community Health Survey [year], Statistics Canada, Public Use Microdata File, Statistics Canada


Survey Questions
Ontario Health Survey 1996/97 Question:
Var. SHS6_2 “How old were you when you first had sexual intercourse?”

Canadian Community Health Survey 2000/01 Question:
Var. SB_Q2 “How old were you when you first had sexual intercourse?”


Analysis Check List

• When you run a frequency on the variable SHS6_2 in the 1996/97 OHS, the NOT APPLICABLE category will represent those who reported never having had sexual intercourse.
• Check for high non-response and analyze appropriately.
• Before releasing and/or publishing these data, users should first determine the number of sampled respondents who contributed to the calculation of the estimate. If this unweighted number is less than 30, the weighted estimate should not be released regardless of the estimate’s coefficient of variation (C.V.). For unweighted estimates of 30 or more, users should determine the C.V. of the rounded weighted estimate and follow the guidelines below:
  • Acceptable (C.V. of 0.0 - 16.5) Weighted estimates can be considered for general unrestricted release. Requires no special notation.
  • Marginal (C.V. of 16.6 - 33.3) Weighted estimates can be considered for general unrestricted release but should be accompanied by a warning cautioning of high sampling variability.
  • Unacceptable (C.V. greater than 33.3) Statistics Canada recommends not releasing estimates of unacceptable quality. However, if the user chooses to do so then estimates should be flagged and the following warning should accompany the estimates: “The user is advised that . . .(specify the data) . . . do not meet Statistics Canada’s quality standards for this statistical program. Conclusions based on these data will be unreliable and most likely invalid”. These data and any consequent findings should not be published. If the user chooses to publish these data or findings, then this disclaimer must be published with the data.

Method of Calculation

Basic Categories

• Sex: male, female.
• Geographic areas for: CCHS – all 37 Public Health Units and16 District Health Councils in Ontario; 1996/97 OHS – 23 health areas.
• Age groups: 15-24, 25-44, 45-59
• Response groups: 1) no sexual debut, 2) debut under age 20 years, 3) debut at age 20 or older

Indicator Comments

• Self-reporting on such sensitive questions may be subject to social desirability bias or high non-response and result in an underestimate or overestimate of the true prevalence in the population, depending on the respondent’s gender.
• All sexual health questions in the 1996/97 OHS and 2000 CCHS were asked to those aged 15-59 years responding by non-proxy only.
• In the 1990 OHS, sexual health questions were asked of those aged 16 and older. Comparisons should be made with caution.

Cross-References to Other Sections

• Pregnancy rate - teen pregnancy (Section 6B: Reproductive Health)
• Sexually transmitted disease incidence (Section 8: Infectious Diseases)
• Vaccine-preventable disease incidence (Section 8: Infectious Diseases)
• Cancer incidence – cervical cancer incidence (Section 6B: Cancer Incidence and Early Detection of Cancer)
• Cancer mortality – cervical cancer mortality (Section 6B: Cancer Incidence and Early Detection of Cancer)
• Cervical cancer screening (Section 6B: Cancer Incidence and Early Detection of Cancer)

References

1. Public Health Research, Education and Development Program (PHRED). Report on the Health Status of the Residents of Ontario. Ontario: PHRED, February 2000.
2. Dryburgh H. Teenage pregnancy. Health Reports 2000;12(1):9-19.

Date of Last Revision: April 27, 2004.