Under-age sex prevalent suggests health report

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12: The Health Council and the Ministry of Health commissioned local research company Mindmaps to conduct a health survey which was released yesterday. A section on sexual behaviour revealed that children as young as 12 years of age are having sex. Here is a round up of the findings.

A sex education programme could be rolled out in response to a health survey that revealed children as young as 12 years of age are having sex in Bermuda.

According to the newly-released Health Survey for Adults and Children in Bermuda, 4.6 per cent of respondents aged 12 or younger admitted to having had sex, while one in five said they lost their virginity between the ages of 13 and 15.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health told the Bermuda Sun: “The figures for sexual activity at younger ages are naturally of concern, but it is imperative to have the figures available in order to set up relevant health promotion programmes and prevention messages.

“It is a good thing that the survey now includes this information so we can address and monitor these issues.”

Adding to concerns, close to half of all respondents of the survey reported that they do not use contraception to prevent pregnancy. However, condom use was 14 per cent higher than in 2006 rising from 17 per cent to 31 per cent.

The Bermuda Health Council and the Ministry of Health commissioned local research company Mindmaps to conduct the health survey which was released yesterday. It used a sample of 801 households focussing on the health standards of the local community along with the public’s perception of healthcare on the island.

Of those who had at least one sexual partner in the previous year, 31.1 per cent had used a condom the last time. Those most likely to use them were men (42 per cent), residents aged 18 to 34 (51.5), adults in one person households (47.2) and those in single parent households.

More people are having sexual intercourse with multiple partners according to  the report.

Residents who reported having sex with more than one sexual partner over a year period leapt by 17 per cent from 2006 (6 per cent to 23 per cent).

All demographics surveyed — black and white, male and female, and those with a secondary lower education and those with a technical higher education — experienced an increase in sexual activity with more than one person.

The ministry spokesperson said that the increase over the past five years was of concern. “We don’t yet know the reason for the increase, but now that we can see the trend we will need to investigate this further in order to address it, as it has repercussions for the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.”

Some 55.1 per cent of people reported having sex with just one partner over the past year while 23 per cent had more than one. Men were much more likely to have more than one partner (35.9) per cent as well as those aged between 18 to 34 (42.8 percent). Sex with more than one person was also common among those with an annual household income of less than $60,000 (33 per cent).

The report also revealed that only a small percentage of respondents (6.4) were engaged in behaviours that put them at high risk of contracting  HIV/AIDS.

These behaviours include injecting drugs or receiving money or drugs in exchange for sex.

That figure represented a three per cent increase from the figure in 2006. Of those, the majority to engage in high-risk behaviour were aged between 18 and 34 (13.4 per cent) and those from single parent households (13.6).

Around half the population have been tested for HIV and there was a slight decline of five per cent of those being tested compared to 2006.

The full report is available HERE.

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