IMPORTANCE

Sexually active teenagers—defined as those who have had sexual intercourse in the past three months—are at immediate risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Teens who engage in certain sexual behaviors—for example, teens who don’t use contraceptives, use contraceptives inconsistently, or have multiple sex partners—have an even higher risk. Though cause and effect are difficult to disentangle, sexually active youth are also more likely than youth who are not sexually active to report problems with substance abuse and depression, as well as have lower levels of educational attainment.

Research has identified several factors associated with delaying the onset of sexual activity among teens. Teens who grow up in stable families with more resources, who communicate with their parents about sex, who express more religiosity, and who are more connected to their schools are more likely to delay sexual intercourse, whereas those who engage in delinquent activities, or who have higher levels of externalizing behaviors (acting out), have an increased risk of early sexual activity.

TRENDS

The share of high school students who are sexually active has fluctuated since 1991, ranging from 33 to 38 percent. In 2013, 34 percent of high school students reported being sexually active. Among black students, however, the proportion who reported they were sexually active decreased from 59 percent in 1991 to 41 percent in 2011, before increasing slightly to 42 percent in 2013. (Figure 1)

DIFFERENCES BY GENDER

Roughly a third of both male and female high school students reported being sexually active in 2013 (33 and 35 percent, respectively). In 2013, black male students were slightly more likely than black female students to report being sexually active (47 and 38 percent, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of sexual activity between white or Hispanic males and their female peers. (Figure 2)

DIFFERENCES BY RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN

Black high school students are more likely than white students to report being sexually active (42 percent compared with 33 percent, in 2013). Hispanic students were not significantly different from either white or black students in 2013. This gap between black student and those of other races and ethnicities has decreased since 1991, when blacks were nearly twice as likely as students in the other two groups to report being sexual active. (Figure 1)

The racial/ethnic gap is wider among males. Black males were the most likely to report being sexually active (47 percent), followed by Hispanic males (35 percent). White male students were the least likely to report being sexually active (30 percent). There were no significant differences by race among female students. (figure 2)

DIFFERENCES BY GRADE

The likelihood of being sexually active increases with age, by eight to twelve percentage points each year. In 2013, 20 percent of ninth-grade students reported they were sexually active, compared with 49 percent of twelfth-graders. The difference was slightly greater among female students. (Figure 3)