Premarital sex and condom use among never married youth in Vietnam

Premarital sex and unprotected sexual intercourse are issues of growing concern in Vietnam. The present study aims to explore the factors associated with the onset and delay of premarital sex among youth in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional in-home survey was undertaken in a suburb of Hanoi, Vietnam among a sample of 2,394 never married youth ages 15 to 24 years in the end of 2003. Results: Cox regression analyses showed that youth who had ever experienced sexual abuse were 35 times more likely to report having had premarital sex. Connectedness to mother likewise was associated with a decreased likelihood of having sex before marriage. A medium level of school connectedness was also a factor associated with the delay of premarital sex (OR=0.27). Peer social deviance, on the other hand, increased the likelihood by at least 2.6 times. Separate models for each sex confirmed: the protective effect of mother connectedness among females; the negative effect of peer social deviance among males; and the predominant risk of past sexual abuse in both sexes for premarital sex. When factors associated with condom use among sexually active never married youth were explored, males were found more likely to use condom at first sexual intercourse. Conclusions: These results reaffirm a growing body of literature from around the world that has shown connectedness to a parent to be associated with delay of premarital sex, while peer social deviance and exposure of previous sexual abuse have been both associated with early sexual debut.