A systematic review and qualitative synthesis of adolescents' views of sexual readiness.

Adolescents may not view initiating sex as problematic, focusing instead on the rewards sex brings and less on health concerns. Adolescents tend to reproduce dominant gender norms of masculinity and femininity in communication about sexual decision-making, which are sometimes influenced by social scripts of career aspirations and ethnic identity. Age was also significant in adolescents' accounts. Early adolescence is a critical period when understandings of gender equality become embedded, thus an opportunity to engage adolescents in critiquing ideas about gender equality and sexual rights. Further research exploring adolescents' understandings of sexual readiness is required. We recommend a participatory approach to support the inclusion of adolescent voices to inform contextually relevant sexual health promotion strategies.