The virginity in adolescents: perspective of the portuguese nurses of the CSP adolescence

Abstract

Is a period of metamorphoses, which impels young people to make their own decisions. At puberty, the organism is taken over by biological transformations and sexual impulses. The approach to the group and estrangement of the family, assume a decisive importance in the scope of the sexuality. The transformations, divergences and contradictions that arise in adolescence are understood as a source of health problems where the onset of sexual relations, each day more precocious, assume a decisive role. It is intended to identify the opinion of Portuguese nurses in primary health care about the social connotation of virginity in girls and boys. Quantitative methodology, descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional study. Data collection by questionnaire. There were 1735 nurses from 226 health centers in mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores. Nurses under the age of 38, graduates with no teenage children, no specific training to deal with adolescents and sexuality associate virginity at age 20 in the boy and girl, waiting for the right moment and love and lack of
opportunities. Respondents aged 38 or over with a specialty or master’s degree with adolescent children, adolescent-specific training and sexuality associate virginity in the boy and girl at the age of 20, lack of information about sexuality or life choices. Of the nurses 76.8% consider that socially virginity does not have the same social connotation for boys and girls. Overall, 43.5% of nurses consider virginity a life option. Of the nurses 42.2% consider that the girls expect more than the boys for the right moment and love. For female nurses (p smaller than 0.05), the girl’s virginity at age 20 is purity, life choice.