Premarital Sex among Rural Adolescents in North India: A School Based Study Chayal Vinod1, Khanna Pardeep2, Verma Ramesh3 1Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B. D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India 2Senior Professor & Head, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B. D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India 3Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B. D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India Online published on 15 December, 2017. Abstract Background The adolescence is a transitional stage of physical, mental and social development generally starts by puberty and ends by adulthood. Adolescents are energetic, inquisitive and have an urge to do new things but at the same time they have lack guidance and may indulge in unsafe sexual activity and also they are prone to alcohol addiction, drug abuse and other social problems. Aim and objectives To study prevalence of premarital sexual activity and to study various factors associated with premarital sexual activity among study subjects. Methodology The study was undertaken in block Beri, which serves as the field practice area of Department of Community Medicine Pt. BD Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India. The study was conducted among male students of senior secondary schools of block Beri in the year 2011. The study universe comprised of 1000 malestudents in middle and late adolescence (aged 14–18 years) studying in 9th to 12th classes of the senior secondary schools in the area. Observations Out of 1000 study subjects, 33.7% had indulged in premarital sexual activity. The mean age of initiating sexual activity was 14.95 years. Adolescents of 14–16 yrs of age were most active involved in sexual activities as compared to other age groups of adolescent age. Conclusions The study concludes that a handful of adolescent are involved in premarital sexual activity and knowledge of adolescents regarding use of condom during sexual intercourse is meager. As usage of condom during sexual intercourse is also very low, hence they are at increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections. Top Keywords Premarital, Sex, Adolescents, Sexual, School, Rural, Male. Top |