Teen sex reduced, condom use increases

ATLANTA, July 31 (UPI) -- In the past 17 years, there's been a decrease in sexual activity among U.S. high school students and an increase in condom use, U.S. health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report study said there has been a decrease in the prevalence of lifetime sexual intercourse, multiple sex partners and current sexual activity.

However, targeted efforts to prevent sexual risk behaviors are needed to eliminate disparities among black students, Hispanic students and male students, who have not experienced the same decreases in all of these behaviors, the report said.

Using data from the CDC's National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the report said that overall, HIV-related sexual risk behaviors have decreased during the past 17 years among high school students in the United States. From 1991 to 2007, the prevalence of sexual experience decreased 12 percent, the prevalence of multiple sex partners decreased 20 percent, the prevalence of current sexual activity decreased 7 percent and the prevalence of condom use among currently sexually active students increased 33 percent.

Nonetheless, many students still engage in HIV-related risk behaviors, the report said.