Introduction. Young people without sufficient preparation for their sexuality are likely to lose their sexual and reproductive health during puberty and adolescence. They take impulsive, various forms of sexual activity, which may result in a limitation of the ability to make responsible decisions, predict their effects and plan for the future. Aim. The main aim of the work was to try to draw attention to the problem of early sexual initiation among youth from high schools in the Malopolska province. Material and Methods. 1026 students aged 16-18 from randomly selected secondary schools in Malopolska region took part in the research. The study was carried out by means of a diagnostic survey. As a research tool, a self-developed questionnaire was used for the purposes of this study. Results. A much higher percentage of the respondents (65.55% of the females and 59.40% of the males) do not take sexual intercourse. More boys than girls start sexual initiation. Condoms are the most common method of contraception among young people. Conclusions. Girls start sex life earlier than boys and choose older partners for sexual initiation, while boys initiate sexual life with younger girls. Among the youngest participants in the study, sexual initiation was more often related to boys than girls (girls: 2.02% versus 6.71% boys).

Key words: early sexual initiation, contraception, sexual education.