Alcohol, age at first sexual intercourse and number of sexual partners in young Mexican women

Aim: To identify the relationship between use of alcohol, number of sexual partners and age of sexual initiation. Method: Descriptive-correlational study. A random sample of 319 young women (age 18-25) from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico was recruited. A sociodemographic data sheet and the AUDIT questionnaire were used. Non-parametric Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and Kruskal-Wallis H test were selected. Results: On average the participants were 20.70 years old (+/- 2.1), had had 1.86 sexual partners(+/- 1.27), started drinking alcohol at the age of 16.82 (+/- 1.79), and their first sexual intercourse was at the age of 17.38 (+/- 1.65). There was a decrease in the age of onset of alcohol use( H = 16.646, p <.001) and the age at first sexual intercourse (H = 26.749, P<.001) on the lower their current age. The overall AUDIT score negatively correlated with the age of the participants on their first sexual intercourse (r(s) = -.168, P<.001) and positively correlated with the number of sexual partners (r(s) =.243, P<.001). The aforementioned correlations were more intense among the younger participants (18- and 19-year olds; P<.01). Conclusions: There was an association between higher use of alcohol, early age of sexual initiation and number of sexual partners. Nursing professionals may address such variables simultaneously through preventive strategies directed specifically at young women. (c) 2020 Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.