Sexual lifestyles vary with ethnicity in Britain

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Patterns of sexual lifestyles and sexually transmitted infections vary among ethnic groups in Britain.
Cultural factors may affect the way people affect their sexuality and this, in turn, can have an effect on their health. Researchers at University College, London, now report on the second British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles and reveal how ethnicity influences sexual behavior.

The Survey covered over 12,000 men and women aged 16 to 44. They found that the number of sexual partners varied between ethnic groups and between men and women. Overall, Indian and Pakistani men and women reported fewer sexual relationships, later first intercourse and fewer sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than other groups. White women reported more risky behavior than other ethnic groups, but were less likely to report STIs than black women.

White women had an average of five lifetime partners compared to four for black Carribean women, three for black African women and one for Indian and Pakistani women. Black men reported higher levels of risky sexual behavior and more STIs than white and Indian or Pakistani men.

The main factor influencing STIs was number of sex partners. But this was not the only factor - there are different levels of untreated STIs in different communities and variations in the way people choose their partners; these factors also have an impact.

Source
The Lancet 2nd April 2005

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