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Association between cannabis use and sexual behavior among adolescents aged 12-15 years in 21 low- and middle-income countries

Smith, L; Jackson, SE; Jacob, L; Grabovac, I; Nisbet, LA; López-Sánchez, GF; McDermott, D; ... Koyanagi, A; + view all (2019) Association between cannabis use and sexual behavior among adolescents aged 12-15 years in 21 low- and middle-income countries. Addictive Behaviors , 99 , Article 106073. 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106073. Green open access

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Abstract

AIMS To investigate the relationship between cannabis use and two sexual behaviors (ever had sex, multiple partners) in a large representative sample of adolescents aged 12–15 years from 21 low- and-middle income countries. METHODS Data from 84,867 adolescents aged 12–15 years participating in the Global School-based Student Health Survey were analyzed. Participants reported lifetime frequency of cannabis use (analyzed as 0, 1–2, 3–19 or ≥ 20 times), whether they had ever had sexual intercourse (yes/no) and, if yes, their lifetime number of sexual partners. We used multivariable logistic regression to analyze associations, adjusting for a range of relevant covariates. RESULTS 12.7% of the sample reported having had sexual intercourse, and of these adolescents, 53.1% had had multiple sexual partners. The prevalence of lifetime cannabis use of 1–2 times, 3–19 times, and ≥ 20 times were 1.1%, 1.2%, and 0.4%, respectively. Those who reported using cannabis 1–2 times, 3–9 times, and ≥ 20 times had 2.32 (95%CI = 1.47–3.65), 2.34 (95%CI = 1.34–4.07), and 5.45 (95%CI = 2.22–13.40) times higher odds of having had sexual intercourse than those who had never used cannabis. Among those who had ever had sexual intercourse, the respective odds ratios (95%CIs) for having multiple sexual partners were 1.56 (0.93–2.62), 1.70 (0.92–3.14), and 5.66 (2.97–10.82). There were no significant interactions by sex for these associations. CONCLUSIONS Adolescents from LMIC who use cannabis are more likely to have ever had sexual intercourse than those who do not. Among those who have had sexual intercourse, those who use cannabis are more likely to have had multiple sexual partners.

Type: Article
Title: Association between cannabis use and sexual behavior among adolescents aged 12-15 years in 21 low- and middle-income countries
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106073
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106073
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Cannabis use, Sexual behavior, Adolescents, LMIC, Epidemiology
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10086975
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