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Sexual Behaviour in Sexual Minority and Non-minority Youth in Ireland

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Sex and Sexualities in Ireland

Part of the book series: Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences ((GSSS))

Abstract

Evidence from the international literature demonstrates that compared to their non-minority (heterosexual) peers, sexual minority young people disproportionately experience health inequalities, especially related to risk behaviours. However, these disparities have not yet been studied in Ireland. To address this gap, we explored risky sexual behaviours in 4339 young people aged 13–18, participating in the Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. We compared sexual initiation, sex before the age of 15, and condom and contraceptive pill use in sexual minority and non-minority youth. Sexual minority youth (in love with same- or both-gender partners) had significantly higher odds for risky sexual behaviours than their non-minority peers (in love with opposite-gender partners or never having been in love). The results can be interpreted in the frameworks of human rights, minority stress and stigma, and call for urgent revision of sexuality and relationships education and sexual health promotion programmes in Ireland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Promotion Research Centre, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland

    András Költő

  2. Health Promotion Research Centre, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Saoirse Nic Gabhainn

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  1. András Költő
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  2. Saoirse Nic Gabhainn
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Correspondence to András Költő .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sociology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Barbara Górnicka

  2. School of Humanities, South East Technological University, Waterford, Ireland

    Mark Doyle

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Költő, A., Nic Gabhainn, S. (2023). Sexual Behaviour in Sexual Minority and Non-minority Youth in Ireland. In: Górnicka, B., Doyle, M. (eds) Sex and Sexualities in Ireland. Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36550-8_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36550-8_11

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