The Association Between Substance Use and Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Incarcerated Adolescents

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between substance use and risky sexual behaviors and having acquired a sexually transmitted disease. Methods: The sample consisted of 210 incarcerated adolescents ages 12–17. Data were collected through 40-min interviews administered by trained research assistants. Multivariate analysis was used to examine the relationship between risky sexual behaviors and substance use when adjusting for other covariates. Results: Almost three-quarters (70.6%) of these incarcerated adolescents regularly use one or more substances. Inconsistent condom use and sex with multiple partners (>2) was reported by approximately 70% of those surveyed. The regular use of substances elevated the odds of having sex with multiple partners (OR = 11.88), exchanging sex for money or drugs (OR = 4.64), and inconsistent condom use (OR = 3.06). Conclusion: Given strong associations between risky sexual behavior and substance use, interventions should be more multiproblem-focused. Health interventions should attempt to address common causes of both behaviors. Effective interventions will be those that can successfully demonstrate effects on outcomes that measure both the intervention effects on substance use and risky sexual behaviors.     

How Patterns of Learning About Sexual Information Among Adolescents Are Related to Sexual Behaviors

CONTEXT

Parents, peers and media are informal sources of sexual information for adolescents. Although the content of sexual information communicated by these sources is known to vary, little is known about what adolescents report actually learning from each source.

METHODS

Data from 1,990 U.S.14–17‐year‐olds who participated in an online survey in 2015 were used to assess learning about four topics (sex, condoms, hormonal birth control and romantic relationships) from three informal sources (parents, peers, and television and movies). Gender and race differences in learning by source and topic were assessed using t tests. Following a factor analysis, learning about all topics was grouped by source, and regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between learning from each source and three outcomes: sexual activity, condom use and hormonal birth control use. Models included interactions between information sources and race and gender.

RESULTS

White adolescents reported learning more from parents and less from media than black adolescents. Compared with males, females learned more about hormonal birth control and less about condoms from their parents, and more about relationships from peers and media. Learning from parents and from peers were positively associated with adolescents’ sexual activity (unstandardized coefficients, 0.26 and 0.52, respectively). Learning from parents was positively associated with condom use (odds ratio, 1.5).

CONCLUSION

Adolescents’ learning about sex from informal sources varies by race and gender. Future research should examine whether sexual health interventions and message development can capitalize on these differences.     

Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Hispanic Young Adults In South Florida: Nativity,Age at Immigration And Gender Differences

CONTEXT: U.S. Hispanics are disadvantaged compared with whites in regard to sexual health, particularly early sexual initiation and contraceptive use. It is unclear whether differences in nativity and immigration are associated with risky sexual behaviors. METHODS: Data collected between 1998 and 2000 from a community sample in South Florida were analyzed to examine sexual behaviors among 709 Hispanic individuals aged 18–23. Associations between nativity and age at immigration and sexual behaviors were assessed separately by gender using chi‐square tests and analyses of covariance. RESULTS: Smaller proportions of sexually experienced women who had immigrated to the United States before age six than of similar U.S.‐born women reported having had vaginal sex (83% vs. 91%) and oral sex (71% vs. 86%) in the past year. Compared with U.S.‐born women, those who had immigrated at age six or older reported lower levels of oral sex (66% vs. 86% of those with sexual experience) and drug use in conjunction with sex in the past year (mean score, 1.2 vs. 1.6 on a scale of 1–5), and a lower average lifetime number of sexual partners (2.0 vs. 3.7 in the sample overall). Immigrant men were no less likely than U.S.‐born men to engage in risky sexual behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Given the diversity of nativity and immigration histories among Hispanics in the United States, it is important that research examine both factors. An understanding of their joint association with sexual activity, plus the conditioning effects of gender, could help professionals to develop effective education and prevention programs for young people who are at risk for engaging in potentially dangerous sexual behavior.     

Associated with Differences in Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Migrants in South Korea

We investigated influential factors on differences in sexual risk-taking among homosexual migrants. The data used in this paper are based on the survey and medical examination for migrants’ sexual behaviors that was carried out by the Korea Federation for HIV/AIDS Prevention in 2011–2013 on participants living in South Korea. Among 1141 migrants, homosexuals were 0.54 times less likely to use condom than heterosexuals. Homosexuals were 2.93 times more likely to be infected with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than heterosexuals. Among 250 homosexual migrants, those who preferred risky sexual intercourse were 0.19 times less likely to use a condom than heterosexual migrants. Those who have a fixed sexual partner were 0.35 times less likely to be infected with HIV than their counterparts. Administrative programs for STDs prevention of migrants should be focused on their sexual risk-taking, which were limited to casual partnership, unprotected sex, and previous contraction of sexual diseases.     

青少年性健康行为研究概况

目前全球人口中1/4以上是青少年.处于性活跃年龄的他们,道德观念、生活方式、交往范围和性行为等方面都发生着巨大的变化,生理需求、观念转变、经济状况和知识缺乏等因素使他们更容易发生不安全性行为.自20世纪70年代以来,青少年的不良性行为问题及其带来的相关问题日益突出,在全球已引起了强烈关注并进行了相关研究.对涵盖与青少年性健康有关的各项性行为的调查及研究情况进行分析概括.     

青少年性健康行为研究概况

目前全球人口中1/4以上是青少年。处于性活跃年龄的他们,道德观念、生活方式、交往范围和性行为等方面都发生着巨大的变化,生理需求、观念转变、经济状况和知识缺乏等因素使他们更容易发生不安全性行为。自20世纪70年代以来,青少年的不良性行为问题及其带来的相关问题日益突出,在全球已引起了强烈关注并进行了相关研究。对涵盖与青少年性健康有关的各项性行为的调查及研究情况进行分析概括。     

中国18省市自治区城市高中生性行为现况分析

目的了解中国高中生性行为现状,为制定适宜的性教育策略提供依据。方法采取无记名自填问卷方式,按照分层整群抽样方法,对18个省、市、自治区110954名高中生进行中国青少年健康危险行为问卷调查。结果我国高中生性行为的报告率为4.4%,男、女生分别为6.9%和2.1%(P<0.01);职业中学学生性行为的报告率高于重点高中和普通高中学生(P值均<0.01);西部地区高中生性行为的报告率高于东部和中部地区高中生,地区之间差异有统计学意义(P值均<0.01)。Logistic回归分析发现,年级增加、看过色情书刊、影像制品、长期不与父母同住、生活在西部地区是高中生发生性行为的危险因素;在普通/重点中学就学、自感学习成绩好是高中生发生性行为的保护因素。结论对高年级高中生尤其是职业中学学生进行适当、科学、系统的性教育十分必要。     

Ethnic Variations in Prevalence of High-Risk Sexual Behaviors Among Asian and Pacific Islander Adolescents in Hawaii

Objectives. We examined ethnic variations in high-risk sexual behaviors among Asian and Pacific Islander (API) adolescents in comparison with White adolescents.Methods. We obtained data from the 2003 Hawaii Youth Risk Behavior Survey on 4953 students in grades 9 through 12. We conducted χ² and logistic regression analyses on these data to examine the prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors among Japanese, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, and White adolescents.Results. We found significant ethnic variation in prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors among API adolescents. Relative to White adolescents, Native Hawaiian adolescents were most likely to engage in lifetime sexual intercourse, recent sexual intercourse, and sexual initiation before age 13 years; Japanese adolescents were least likely to engage in these behaviors. Filipino adolescents were least likely to use substances before last sexual intercourse and condoms during last sexual intercourse.Conclusions. Our findings suggest divergent patterns of risk among API ethnic groups, underscoring the heterogeneity of API subgroups and emphasizing the need for health disparities research on disaggregated API ethnic groups. The findings of such research should be used to design ethnically relevant interventions aimed at mitigating the negative health consequences of high-risk sexual behaviors.High-risk sexual behaviors among adolescents are a significant public health concern in the United States. These behaviors account for increasing rates of premature morbidity and mortality by contributing to risk of unintended teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Complications associated with adolescents'' sexual risk behaviors may take years to manifest and may seriously compromise adolescents'' health and quality of life in adulthood.The Asian and Pacific Islander (API) adolescent population appears to be at heightened risk for the negative consequences of high-risk sexual behaviors. Some have described HIV/AIDS among the soaring API population worldwide as a global pandemic.¹ Although prevalence of STDs, HIV/AIDS, and pregnancy has been lower among API adolescents than among adolescents from other ethnic groups, it is suspected that Asians and Pacific Islanders underreport and misreport STD and HIV infection because of cultural norms that look unfavorably upon sexual risk behaviors.^1,2 For example, the relatively low prevalence of STDs among API adolescents³ may be partially caused by cultural norms that discourage API youths from seeking immediate treatment for STDs, thereby placing them at even greater risk for negative health consequences of STDs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that API adolescents and adults constitute the largest proportion of individuals by ethnicity who are tested at HIV testing sites where anonymity is preserved.¹ Because anonymous HIV testing data are not included in national HIV surveillance reports, the number of Asians and Pacific Islanders reported to be living with HIV infection is likely underestimated. Also, although reported rates of HIV/AIDS among API adolescents are low, certain sexual risk behaviors that contribute to HIV/AIDS risk are as prevalent among API adolescents as they are among adolescents from other ethnic groups.⁴Although Asians and Pacific Islanders comprise dozens of racial/ethnic groups and speak nearly 500 languages and dialects,¹ national surveys and studies typically categorize all Asians and Pacific Islanders as an aggregate racial group. The evidence suggests important ethnic-group differences among API adolescents,⁵ but these differences are obscured in national studies that typically focus on White, African American, and Hispanic populations while combining all API groups into 1 category; in addition, few studies have been published on ethnically disaggregated API data. Consequently, there is a lack of data on prevalence of sexual risk behaviors among API subgroups. We believe that API subgroups differ in their sexual-risk profiles as a result of variations in underlying cultural and socioeconomic factors that may affect sexual risk behaviors. Thus, to learn more about the sexual-risk profiles of API subgroups, we examined variations in high-risk sexual behaviors among adolescents from 3 API ethnic subgroups that are populous in Hawaii: Japanese, Filipinos, and Native Hawaiians.     

Sexual Values and Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Latino Youths

CONTEXT: Understanding Latino youths' sexual values is key to informing HIV prevention efforts. Few studies have examined associations between culturally based sexual values and behaviors among Latinos.
METHODS: A sample of 839 sexually active Latinos aged 16–22 residing in San Francisco were interviewed in 2003–2006. Multiple regression and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between sexual values and behaviors, while adjusting for language use (a proxy for acculturation) and other covariates.
RESULTS: The importance attached to female virginity was negatively associated with the number of sexual partners women had had in their lifetime (odds ratio, 0.8) and in the past year (0.9), and was positively associated with women's nonuse of condoms, rather than consistent use, during the first month of their current relationships (1.8). For men, the importance of satisfying sexual needs increased with the numbers of lifetime and recent sexual partners (1.4 and 1.1, respectively), and with inconsistent condom use in the first month of their relationships (1.9). Comfort with sexual communication was positively associated with inconsistent use or nonuse of condoms in the last month of both men's and women's current relationships (2.0–2.2). For women, considering satisfaction of sexual needs important was associated with more sexual partners only among those who attached little value to female virginity.
CONCLUSIONS: It is important to integrate themes of virginity and sexual desire into intervention curricula so youth can better understand how these sexual norms influence their developing sexual identities and behaviors.     

祁东县农村青少年健康危险行为现状调查

目的了解祁东县农村青少年健康危险行为的现状和流行趋势。方法采取多阶段抽样方法,从祁东县29所初中、高中、职高中抽取5所学校各年级学生,用统一调查表进行问卷调查。结果调查2 249名学生,每天饮用牛奶少于1杯和未吃蔬菜的学生分别为85.0%和24.3%;1个月内不安全骑车和在高速公路上行走的学生分别为60.4%和25.7%,19.6%的学生过去1年到非安全场所游泳,88.2%学生7 d内每天运动时间不足1 h;1年中,31.2%的学生曾打架,有27.5%和39.9%的学生分别有自杀和离家出走意念;17.6%的学生1年内曾醉酒,0.3%和6.4%的学生曾使用过毒品和擅自使用安眠药;38.9%和23.8%的学生上网不能自控和参加过赌博;3.9%的高中和职高学生有性行为史,38.7%和82.1%的高中及职高学生分别曾接受青春期教育和艾滋病知识教育。在打架、吸烟、饮酒、网络成瘾、到非安全场所游泳、观看色情书籍及制品等指标中,男女性别间差异有统计学意义（P均〈0.01）。结论农村青少年中健康危险行为问题严重,应加强健康教育和行为干预。     

Association Among Subtypes of Bullying Status and Sexually-Risky Behaviors of Urban African American Adolescents in Chicago

Bullying is found to be associated with various negative psychosocial outcomes. However, few studies have explored the association between bullying involvement and sexually-risky behaviors. Youth were recruited from three high schools, one youth church group, two community youth programs, and four public venues. Six hundred-and-thirty-eight urban African American adolescents (aged 12-22) in Chicago completed a self-report questionnaire. Major findings indicated that males were more likely than females to have sex with someone in exchange for drugs. Bullying perpetration, victimization, and perpetration–victimization were negatively associated with having sex with a condom. Older youth, and those identified as perpetrators and perpetrator-victims were more likely to have impregnated someone or been pregnant. Stress and coping framework should be considered. Bullying prevention should provide youth with several healthy coping strategies for reducing sexually-risky behaviors. Community-based and school-based violence prevention programs need to consider sexual risk outcomes associated with involvement in bullying.