Facts and Statistics: Sexual Health and Canadian Youth
Number of Sexual Intercourse Partners
The number of sexual intercourse partners a person has is one of a number of factors that determine that person's risk of becoming infected with sexually transmitted infections.
The 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey asked sexually active respondents how many sexual partners they had had in the previous 12 months (Rotermann, 2005).
Among sexually active Canadian youth aged 15-17 and 18-19, the percentage that reported more than one sexual partner in the previous 12 months was just over a third (35%) for both age groups.
As indicated in the table below, sexually active males in both age categories were more likely than sexually active females to report having more than one sexual partner in the previous 12 months.
Percentage of Sexually Active 15-17 and 18-19 Year-Old Canadian Youth Reporting More Than One Sexual Partner in the Previous Twelve Months
| 15-17 | 18-19 | |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 41% | 39% |
| Female | 29% | 31% |
Source: Rotermann, M. (2005). Sex, condoms and STDS among young people. Health Reports, 16(3), 39-45.
As noted above, the percentages of Canadian young people who have had intercourse does not appear to have increased in recent years (i.e., 1988 compared to 2002).
Data collected in 1988 and 2002 suggest that for both males and females, the trend is for sexually active Canadian youth to have fewer intercourse partners.
- Boyce et al., (2003). Canadian Youth, Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Study
For the purposes of identifying trends in sexual health risk among Canadian youth, it is also pertinent to ask if the number of sexual partners of sexually active youth has decreased, increased, or remained stable.
In presenting their findings, Boyce et al (2003) compared the data on reported lifetime number of sexual partners among sexually active Grade 11 students from the Canada, Youth and AIDS Study and the Canadian Youth, Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Study.
As indicated in the Table below, the data collected in 1988 and 2002 suggest that for both males and females, the trend is for sexually active Canadian youth to have fewer intercourse partners.
Number of Lifetime Sexual Partners Among Grade 11 Students Who Have Ever Had Sexual Intercourse, 1988, 2002
| Number of Partners | ||||
| 1 | 2 | 3-5 | 6+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male-1988 | 29% | 16% | 30% | 24% |
| Male-2002 | 43% | 21% | 21% | 15% |
| Female-1988 | 47% | 19% | 23% | 11% |
| Female-2002 | 54% | 18% | 19% | 9% |
Source: Boyce et al., (2003). Canadian Youth, Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Study
