국립 부경대학교

Revealed the Correlation Between Excessive Alcohol Consumption in Adolescents and 'Risky Sexual Behaviors'

-Research Results from Professors Heo Won-bin and Oh Young-sam at Pukyong National University

Research has found that as adolescents' alcohol consumption increases, the likelihood of engaging in 'Risky Sexual Behaviors' also rises.

Professors Heo Won-bin and Oh Young-sam from the Department of Social Welfare at Pukyong National University presented research findings that clarify the correlation between alcohol consumption and risky sex behavior among Korean adolescents who have had sexual experiences with the opposite sex.

Risky sex behaviors refer to sexual activities that do not involve contraception, such as the use of condoms.

The research team conducted the study using statistical data from the 16th(2020) Youth Health Behavior Survey, focusing on 54,948 participants(from 7th grade to 12th grade). Among these, they examined 2,487 adolescents who had sexual experiences with the opposite sex, comparing 547 adolescents who consumed alcohol with 547 who did not.

The research team analyzed the statistical data using methods such as Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Multiple Logistic Regression Analyses. The results showed that the presence or absence of alcohol consumption itself was not related to risky sexual behaviors.

However, when analyzing only the group that consumed alcohol (547 participants), it was found that as alcohol consumption increased, the likelihood of engaging in risky sex behaviors, meaning having sexual intercourse without contraception, also increased.

In particular, when analyzing gender differences, it was revealed that the likelihood of engaging in risky sex behavior increased with alcohol consumption only among female adolescents, while no such association was observed in male adolescents.

Professor Oh Young-sam stated, “To ensure proper sexual behavior and awareness among adolescents, it is necessary to establish various educational programs and protective measures regarding sex in homes, schools, and communities.”

The research findings are published in the paper titled ‘The Relationships Between Alcohol Drinking and Risky Sexual Behavior Among Korean Adolescents: Focusing on Heterosexual Adolescents’ in the latest issue of the international journal <Journal of Drug Issues>.