Young people favor GPs for contraception advice, survey reveals
A survey conducted by Family Planning NSW with online networking web site MySpace Australia found young people are more likely to discuss with their friends about sex and their bodies, and favors GPs for advice on contraception.
The survey findings were derived from a poll of 1,000 people from the ages 12 to 24 during the months June and July regarding their go-to when they need information about sex and puberty-associated matters.
The results revealed that more than half of the survey participants -when it comes to body changes- chose to talk to their friends, 45 per cent resorted to the use of the internet for answers and a total of 33 per cent discussed with their parents or schools.
Nearly half of all the participants surveyed said their friends are the source of advice when they require information on sexual activities.
The next common source of information, according to the survey came from their partners and the internet - used by more than 33 per cent on the survey participants. Schools were the last option, with only 20 per cent choosing it.
When it comes to the matters of contraception, however, doctors were the most commonly go-to source for answers - an option chosen by 48 per cent of the participants.
Parents and the internet gathered only a third of the participants.
The survey also revealed that nearly half of the young participants favored their GP for information regarding sexual health matters, and only a quarter of the participants used parents and schools as their go-to source of advice.