Association between Sexual Behavior and Depression in South Korean Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hyunkyu Kim, Wonjeong Jeong, Sungin Jang, Youseok Kim and Euncheol Park
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Hyunkyu Kim: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
Wonjeong Jeong: Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
Sungin Jang: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
Youseok Kim: Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
Euncheol Park: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-9

Abstract: Adolescent depression and suicide have become leading public health and socioeconomic problems. Determining the connection between adolescent behavior and depression can inform strategies to reduce the prevalence of depression and suicide. We investigated the association between sexual behavior and depression in South Korean adolescents. Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from the 2017–2019 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey. Data of 178,664 subjects were analyzed using chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression. After adjusting for covariates, the prevalence of depression was found to be higher in subjects with experience of sexual intercourse (adjusted odds ratio = 1.71, 95% confidence interval = 1.59–1.83 in boys; adjusted odds ratio = 1.47, confidence interval = 1.33–1.61 in girls). On categorizing subjects into two groups based on suicidality, subjects with sexual intercourse experience had higher odds ratios for depression with suicidality (aOR:2.16 in boys, aOR:1.80in girls) than depression without suicidality (aOR:1.49 in boys, aOR:1.25 in girls). We identified the relationship between sexual behavior and the prevalence of depression; adolescents with experience of sexual intercourse were more likely to have depression with suicidality. Further research using prospective designs should serve as the basis for appropriate sex education policies to manage the relationship between sexual behavior and depression.

Keywords: depression; suicide; sex; sexual behavior; adolescents; Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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