Health and Wellbeing Census Scotland 2021- 2022
Statistical publication providing information on the Health and Wellbeing Census 2021/22.
Relationships and sexual health
Overall, just over three quarters of pupils in the Senior Phase (S4-S6) said their current boyfriend/girlfriend often makes them feel safe and respected.
For senior phase pupils, 78.8 percent agree that it is easy to get information on sexual health; 59.4 percent agree that it is easy to ask for help regarding sexual health issues; and 84.3 percent agree that they find it easy to say 'no' to having sexual experiences they don't want.
Around one in seven senior phase pupils said that they had had penetrative sex (of which less than one in ten S4 pupils reported this compared to one in four S6 pupils). For those senior phase pupils who have had penetrative sex, nearly 43% said they had used a condom the most recent time they had done so. Just over two thirds of S4 – S6 pupils said that they had used something to prevent pregnancy.
The analysis indicates that there are small differences by pupil sex, with girls more likely to often feel safe and respected by their current boyfriend/girlfriend, and more likely to say they had used something to prevent pregnancy. However, boys were more likely to say that they had used a condom the most recent time they had sex.
The analysis also indicates that there are small differences by deprivation. S4 – S6 pupils living in the most deprived areas appear less likely to have used a condom and less likely to have used something to prevent pregnancy when they last had penetrative sex.
Table 40 Distribution of how senior phase pupils said how often their current boyfriend/girlfriend makes them feel safe and respected, by pupil stage
Response |
S4 |
S5 |
S6 |
Total |
|
Often |
75.7 |
78.3 |
80.9 |
77.9 |
|
Quite often |
13.9 |
13.2 |
13.3 |
13.5 |
|
Occasionally |
4.9 |
3.7 |
2.7 |
3.9 |
|
Never |
3 |
2.7 |
1.8 |
2.6 |
|
Prefer not to say |
2.6 |
2.2 |
1.4 |
2.1 |
Table 41 Distribution of how senior phase pupils said how often their current boyfriend/girlfriend makes them feel safe and respected, by pupil sex
Response |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
Often |
80.2 |
74.9 |
77.9 |
|
Quite often |
12.7 |
14.4 |
13.5 |
|
Occasionally |
3.6 |
4.4 |
3.9 |
|
Never |
1.7 |
3.7 |
2.6 |
|
Prefer not to say |
1.8 |
2.6 |
2.1 |
Table 42 Distribution of how senior phase pupils said how often their current boyfriend/girlfriend makes them feel safe and respected, by deprivation
Response |
SIMD 1 (most deprived) |
SIMD 2 |
SIMD 3 |
SIMD 4 |
SIMD 5 (least deprived) |
SIMD - Not known |
Total |
|
Often |
76.3 |
76.8 |
77.4 |
79.8 |
78.8 |
[c] |
77.9 |
|
Quite often |
13.9 |
14.7 |
13.8 |
12.5 |
12.8 |
[c] |
13.5 |
|
Occasionally |
5 |
3.8 |
4 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
[c] |
3.9 |
|
Never |
2.6 |
3 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.3 |
[c] |
2.6 |
|
Prefer not to say |
2.2 |
1.8 |
2.4 |
1.8 |
2.6 |
[c] |
2.1 |
Table 43 Distribution of how much sexual experience senior phase pupils have had, by pupil stage
Response |
S4 |
S5 |
S6 |
Total |
|
None |
53.3 |
39.5 |
32.3 |
44.5 |
|
Small amount (e.g. kissing, some intimate touching on top of clothes) |
14.8 |
13 |
11.1 |
13.5 |
|
Some experiences but no sexual intercourse (e.g. touching intimately underneath clothes or without clothes on) |
5.5 |
7.3 |
6.8 |
6.4 |
|
More experiences, including oral sex |
2.8 |
4 |
5.5 |
3.7 |
|
Vaginal or anal sex |
7.7 |
16.1 |
25.4 |
14 |
|
Prefer not to say |
15.9 |
20.1 |
18.9 |
18 |
Table 44 Distribution of how much sexual experience senior phase pupils have had, by pupil sex
Response |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
None |
43.5 |
45.5 |
44.5 |
|
Small amount (e.g. kissing, some intimate touching on top of clothes) |
13.6 |
13.3 |
13.5 |
|
Some experiences but no sexual intercourse (e.g. touching intimately underneath clothes or without clothes on) |
6 |
6.8 |
6.4 |
|
More experiences, including oral sex |
3.5 |
4 |
3.7 |
|
Vaginal or anal sex |
13.5 |
14.7 |
14 |
|
Prefer not to say |
19.9 |
15.8 |
18 |
Table 45 Distribution of how much sexual experience senior phase pupils have had, by deprivation
Response |
SIMD 1 (most deprived) |
SIMD 2 |
SIMD 3 |
SIMD 4 |
SIMD 5 (least deprived) |
SIMD - Not known |
Total |
|
None |
44.9 |
43.8 |
42.7 |
44.8 |
45.5 |
[c] |
44.5 |
|
Small amount (e.g. kissing, some intimate touching on top of clothes) |
12.1 |
14.1 |
13.8 |
13.2 |
14.1 |
[c] |
13.5 |
|
Some experiences but no sexual intercourse (e.g. touching intimately underneath clothes or without clothes on) |
5.8 |
5.8 |
6.3 |
6.7 |
6.8 |
[c] |
6.4 |
|
More experiences, including oral sex |
3.5 |
3.5 |
4.5 |
3.8 |
3.4 |
[c] |
3.7 |
|
Vaginal or anal sex |
13.2 |
14.1 |
14.9 |
14.6 |
13.6 |
[c] |
14 |
|
Prefer not to say |
20.3 |
18.8 |
17.8 |
17 |
16.6 |
[c] |
18 |
Table 46 Distribution of whether senior phase pupils said they or the other person used a condom the most recent time they had penetrative sex, by pupil stage
Response |
S4 |
S5 |
S6 |
Total |
|
Yes |
37.8 |
44.6 |
43.8 |
42.6 |
|
No |
50.2 |
48.8 |
50.7 |
49.8 |
|
Don't know |
5.1 |
2.4 |
1.6 |
2.8 |
|
Prefer not to say |
6.9 |
4.1 |
4.0 |
4.8 |
Table 47 Distribution of whether senior phase pupils said they or the other person used a condom the most recent time they had penetrative sex, by pupil sex
Response |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
Yes |
39.8 |
45.3 |
42.6 |
|
No |
53.3 |
46.5 |
49.8 |
|
Don't know |
2.0 |
3.5 |
2.8 |
|
Prefer not to say |
4.9 |
4.6 |
4.8 |
Table 48 Distribution of whether senior phase pupils said they or the other person used a condom the most recent time they had penetrative sex, by deprivation
Response |
SIMD 1 (most deprived) |
SIMD 2 |
SIMD 3 |
SIMD 4 |
SIMD 5 (least deprived) |
SIMD - Not known |
Total |
|
Yes |
39.3 |
40.3 |
44.8 |
43.6 |
43.7 |
[c] |
42.6 |
|
No |
52.8 |
51.1 |
47.8 |
49.7 |
48.8 |
[c] |
49.8 |
|
Don't know |
2.6 |
4.0 |
2.9 |
2.7 |
2.2 |
[c] |
2.8 |
|
Prefer not to say |
5.4 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
4.1 |
5.3 |
[c] |
4.8 |
Table 49 Distribution of whether senior phase pupils said they used something to prevent pregnancy the most recent time they had penetrative vaginal sex, by pupil stage
Response |
S4 |
S5 |
S6 |
Total |
|
Yes |
50.7 |
67.4 |
69.8 |
64 |
|
No |
31.1 |
22.2 |
20.1 |
23.7 |
|
Don't know |
4.8 |
3.7 |
2.7 |
3.6 |
|
Prefer not to say |
5.9 |
2.6 |
2.7 |
3.5 |
Table 50 Distribution of whether senior phase pupils said they used something to prevent pregnancy the most recent time they had penetrative vaginal sex, by sex
|
Response |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
Yes |
71.4 |
63.7 |
67.5 |
|
No |
23.9 |
26.1 |
25.0 |
|
Don't know |
1.1 |
6.5 |
3.8 |
|
Prefer not to say |
3.6 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
Table 51 Distribution of whether senior phase pupils said they used something to prevent pregnancy the most recent time they had penetrative vaginal sex, by deprivation
|
Response |
SIMD 1 (most deprived) |
SIMD 2 |
SIMD 3 |
SIMD 4 |
SIMD 5 (least deprived) |
SIMD - Not known |
Total |
|
Yes |
62.0 |
65.1 |
71.1 |
68.5 |
69.1 |
[c] |
67.5 |
|
No |
28.5 |
27.0 |
23.0 |
24.9 |
23.0 |
[c] |
25.0 |
|
Don't know |
3.9 |
4.7 |
3.0 |
3.5 |
4.2 |
[c] |
3.8 |
|
Prefer not to say |
5.6 |
3.1 |
3.0 |
3.1 |
3.7 |
[c] |
3.6 |
Contact
For enquiries about this publication please contact:
Email: school.stats@gov.scot
For general enquiries about Scottish Government statistics please contact:
Office of the Chief Statistician
Telephone: 0131 244 0442
e-mail: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot
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