Bente Træen

Use of Pornography in Traditional Media and on the Internet in Norway

We described the use of pornography in Norway, including how many people have used pornographic magazines, films, and internet sites and to what extent those who watch pornography on the internet also use it as an arena for erotic chatting. The data stem from a survey on sexual behavior among a random sample of 10,000 Norwegians between 18 and 49 years. The response rate was 34%. A total of 82% reported having read pornographic magazines, 84% had seen pornographic films, and 34% had examined pornography on the internet. Statistically significantly more men than women reported use of pornography. There was a 20% difference between men and women in use of magazines and films. Among those exposed to pornography on the internet during the past year, 14% had participated in erotic chatting. Gay/bisexual men and lesbian/bisexual women reported higher use of pornography than straight men and women. Gender was the most significant variable for the prediction of use of pornography. Level of education predicted exposure to pornography on the internet, in magazines, and in films. Younger individuals were more likely to utilize the internet both for viewing pornographic material and for chatting.

Qualitative study of perinatal care experiences among Somali women and local health care professionals in Norway

OBJECTIVE To explore how perinatal care practice may influence labor outcomes among circumcised women. STUDY DESIGN In-depth interviews were conducted with 23 Somali immigrants and 36 Norwegian health care professionals about their experiences from antenatal care, delivery and the management of circumcision. RESULTS Circumcision was not recognized as an important delivery issue among Norwegian health care professionals and generally the topic was not addressed antenatally. The Somalis feared lack of experience and sub-optimal treatment at delivery. All of the women expressed a strong fear of cesarean section. Health care professionals were uncertain about delivery procedures for infibulated women and occasionally cesarean sections were performed in place of defibulation. CONCLUSION We hypothesize that neglect of circumcision may lead to adverse birth outcomes including unnecessary cesarean sections, prolonged second stage of labor and low Apgar scores. We suggest that infibulated women need a carefully planned delivery, correctly performed defibulation and adequate pain relief.

Attitudes and use of pornography in the Norwegian population 2002

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze use of pornographic material in a representative sample of adult Norwegians. The data collection was carried out by means of a standardized questionnaire administered via personal telephone interviews. Among the 90% of participants who reported ever having examined pornography, 76% reported examining a pornographic magazine, 67% had watched a pornographic film, and 24% had examined pornography on the Internet. Significant gender differences emerged in the reporting. The percentage of men and women who reported frequent use of pornography was small. We identified three dimensions of attitudes toward pornography: pornography as a means of sexual enhancement, pornography as a moral issue, and social climate. These attitude dimensions were included in path models as intermediating variables between demographic variables (age, gender, and level of education) and frequency of reading or watching pornographic materials. These models explained 36% of the variance in frequency of watching pornographic films, 35% of the variance in frequency of reading pornographic magazines, and 21% of the variance in frequency of watching pornography on the Internet.

Sexual problems in 18-67-year-old Norwegians

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe and analyse the prevalence of sexual problems in Norway. Methods: The results are based on two samples from 2008, one of which was taken from 1671 web interviews in December among persons ranging from 18—67 years of age, and the other being a survey on sexual behaviour among a random sample of 12,000 Norwegians between the ages of 18 and 59, taken in April. Main outcome measures: The prevalence of sexual problems during the past 12 months. Results: Generalised linear model analyses showed that the highest expected prevalence of manifest problems was found in the following groups: reduced sexual desire problems in 60—67-year-old women with university education (52%); orgasm problems in 18—29-year-old women with less than university education (32%); genital pain in 18—29-year-old women with less than university education (19%); premature ejaculation problems in 18—29-year-old men with less than university education (27%); delayed ejaculation problems in men with less than university education (12%); erectile dysfunction in 60—67-year-old men (34%); and lubrication problems in 60—67-year-old women living in southeast Norway (29%). Sexual problems correlated negatively with sexual wellbeing. Conclusions: This research indicates that sexual problems represent a public health problem.

Sexual socialization and motives for intercourse among Norwegian adolescents

The impact of gender differences in sexual socialization on early sexual experiences among Norwegian adolescents is discussed. The material comprises a stratified sample of 920 adolescents ages 16–20 years in a Norwegian county. Data were collected by means of questionnaires. Of the respondents, 55.5% were girls and 44.5% were boys. 52.3% of girls and 41.4% of the boys had coital experience. The most common reasons for having had the first sexual intercourse were being in love, curiosity or excitement, and sexual arousal. Findings from a discriminant analysis showed that emotional reasons were more important to girls, whereas boys seemed more practical in sexual matters. More boys than girls reported that the reason for having had their most recent intercourse was that the partner wanted it. This indicates that if girls do not want sex, boys seldom use pressure. Girls set the premises for sexual interaction but are not as sexually skilled as boys.

Casual sex among Norwegian adolescents

The issue of casual sex and amount of sexual experience was studied using data from a representative sample of 2997 Norwegians, 17–19 years old. Data were collected by anonymous self-administered questionnaires, and the response rate was 62.8%. Results showed that among adolescents, experience of casual sex to a large extent was a function of the time the individual had been coitally active. The amount of sexual experience was poorly related to social background and strongly related to life-style factors such as smoking and drinking of alcohol. A small minority of adolescents was found to have a sexual behavior deviating from that of the majority, and thus containing elements of potentially high risk for contracting HIV or other STDs. This minority of adolescents had the identifying characteristic of low self-reported intimacy with their first coital partner.

Sexual dysfunction and sexual well-being in people with heart disease

Abstract The aim of this study was to describe sexual well-being and sexual problems in the general population of Norway and, specifically, among people with heart disease. What is the relationship between sexual well-being, sexual problems and psychological, medical and relational factors? Data were collected from among 1664 persons with heart disease, aged 18 – 84 years (2004, LHL study), and from among a representative sample of 1093 adult Norwegians (1997, MMI study). Questionnaires were anonymous and self-administered. The response rate was 36% in the LHL study and 54% in the MMI study. Twenty-six percent in the LHL study and 11% in the MMI study reported ever having had sexual problems. Among those <40 years old, 54% in the LHL study and 34% in the MMI study reported problems with desire/interest. In the age group 40 – 49 years, 73% of men with heart disease and 17% of men in the general population reported erectile dysfunction. Furthermore, 22% from the LHL study had experienced sexual problems in the past 30 days. The best predictors of recent sexual problems were habitual negative body perception, worries about ones sexuality and body, sexual motivation problems, cordial infarction and (not) taking blood thinners. Having a sexual problem was an important predictor of sexual well-being.

Parallel sexual relationships in the Norwegian context

The purpose of the paper is to describe and analyse the prevalence of parallel sexual relationships among adult Norwegians in terms of social background variables, possibility factors and motivational factors. Data stem from two cross-sectional, postal questionnaire surveys in 1987 and 1992 on two separate representative samples of 10,000 Norwegians aged between 18 and 60. The results showed that 16% of the respondents reported one or more parallel sexual relationships. The prevalence of parallel sexual relationships increased with possibility factors, such as the number of travelling days and population density. Among motivational factors, parallel sexual relationships increased with the number of years married/cohabiting, except for those married the longest. It decreased with increasing age of first intercourse, and increased with the number of partners before the last partnership. Of those not satisfied with coital frequency with their permanent partner, 22% had parallel sexual relationship experience compared to 12% among those who were satisfied. Furthermore, more men than women reported parallel sexual relationships; respondents with higher levels of education more often reported parallel sexual activity than those with lower level of education; and subjects born between 1937 and 1956 reported more parallel sexual activity than the other cohorts. When controlled for the number of years married/cohabiting, the predicted trend suggests that for the cohorts born up to 1970, men and women with lower and higher levels of education have become more similar as regards parallel sexual behaviour.

The relationship between use of sexually explicit media and sexual risk behavior in men who have sex with men: exploring the mediating effects of sexual self-esteem and condom use self-efficacy

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study tests the following 3 hypotheses: (1) there is a direct association between consumption of sexually explicit media (SEM) depicting non-condom use and sexually transmitted infection (STI)-related sexual risk behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM); (2) the association between SEM consumption and STI-related sexual risk behavior is mediated by mens sexual self-esteem; and (3) the relationship between SEM consumption and sexual risk behavior is mediated by condom use self-efficacy. Methods: A cross-sectional, Internet-based survey on exposure to SEM and sexual behavior of 1,391 MSM in the United States was conducted in 2011. Results: The results confirmed Hypotheses 1 and 3, while Hypothesis 2 was rejected. Accordingly, a significant association between the use of SEM picturing condom use and STI-related sexual risk behavior among MSM was found. Likewise, we found that the association between the use of SEM and sexual risk behavior was mediated by condom use self-efficacy in an indirect path. However, SEM did not influence sexual risk behavior via sexual self-esteem. Conclusions: To promote STI prevention, the actors in SEM may be used as role models in managing condom use in sexual contexts.

Sexual diversity in urban Norwegians.

The purpose of this study is to describe homosexual and heterosexual experiences in terms of sexual fantasies, sexual attraction, sexual conduct, and falling in love in an urban Norwegian population. In 1997, a randam sample of 5,000 persons (18–49 years) was drawn from the population register in Oslo to participate in a sexual behavior survey. Data collection was carried out by means of postal questionnaires and 45% responded. The results indicated that exclusive homosexuality was rare in the population. One exception was the prevalence of homosexual fantasies in women. Compared to respondents who had had exclusively heterosexual contact, respondents reporting bisexual contacts had a significantly higher number of lifetime sex partners, higher frequency of anal and oral sex and masturbation, and lower age at orgasm and masturbation debut. What significantly separated the groups of exclusive heterosexuals, bisexuals, and exclusive homosexuals were attitudes towards various expressions of sexuality and number of lifetime sex partners.