Sexuality, reproduction and health: experiences of adolescent students living in a small city of the interior

This article aims to describe experiences of school adolescents of both sexes, living in a small city in the interior of the State of Rio de Janeiro, concerning affective-sexual life and sexual and reproductive health. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a structured questionnaire among 200 adolescents aged between 15 and 19 from public schools in Silva Jardim,. The girls' sexual initiation occurred between 15 and 19 and boys between 12 and 14. Boys started with partners from 12 to 19 years of age and girls with older partners. Girls received more information about sex than boys and talked more with partners about preventing pregnancy at the time of sexual initiation. Sources of information about sexuality and contraception are mainly from parents, with the pharmacy being the main location for the purchase of contraceptives. Information about sexually transmitted diseases is mainly received at school. The comparison of these results with those of other studies with adolescent students in large urban centers and populations that include youths outside school demonstrates similarities and dissimilarities between their experiences. Factors related to the socio-cultural and institutional context of small municipalities, gender and education help to understand them.