Role of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sexual Behaviors and Receipt of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Among U.S. High School Students - Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019-2021.

Abstract

Disproportionate rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV, and unintended pregnancy among adolescents persist and might have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses 2019 and 2021 data from the nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Surveys to characterize changes in sexual behaviors and receipt of sexual and reproductive health services among U.S. high school students before and during the pandemic. Outcomes included HIV testing (lifetime), STD testing (past 12 months), condom use (last sexual intercourse), and primary contraceptive method used to prevent pregnancy (last sexual intercourse). Except for HIV testing, all analyses were limited to currently sexually active students. Weighted prevalence and 95% CIs of outcomes for 2019 and 2021 were calculated for each year by demographics (sex [female or male], age, and race and ethnicity) and sex of sexual contacts (opposite sex only, both sexes, same sex only). For each year, pairwise t-tests with Taylor series linearization were used to identify demographic differences among outcomes. Across years, change in prevalence of outcomes was assessed by using absolute and relative measures of association overall and by demographics. During 2019-2021, the prevalence of HIV testing decreased by 3.68 percentage points, from 9.4% to 5.8%. Among sexually active students, prevalence of STD testing decreased by 5.07 percentage points, from 20.4% to 15.3%. Among sexually active students reporting opposite sex or both sexes sexual contact, intrauterine device or implant use at last sexual intercourse increased by 4.11 percentage points, from 4.8% to 8.9%, and no contraceptive method use increased by 2.74 percentage points, from 10.7% to 13.4%. Because of disruptions throughout the pandemic, results underscore the importance of improving access to a range of health services for adolescents and improving STD/HIV and unintended pregnancy prevention.