Timing of Orphanhood,Early Sexual Debut,and Early Marriage in Four Sub‐Saharan African Countries

According to a growing body of literature, some orphans are at heightened risk of early sexual debut and early marriage. This study examines a rarely explored aspect of orphanhood: the timing and type of parental death and their relationship to these outcomes. The study also explores whether education mediates orphans' risk of early sexual initiation and early marriage. The data are drawn from the 2004 National Survey of Adolescents, which includes interviews with 12–19‐year‐old adolescents in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda. Results from discrete‐time event history analysis indicate that female double orphans, regardless of timing of orphanhood, have greater odds of early sexual debut than do nonorphans. Education explains little of their increased risk. In contrast, male orphans of any type reveal no increased vulnerability to early sexual debut. Uganda is the only country where female orphans, specifically double orphans and those who are paternal orphans before age 10, have greater odds of early marriage, with education accounting for a small portion of the risk.     

中国青少年婚前性行为状况及降低非意愿妊娠方法探讨

青少年是指从童年期向成人期过渡的一个转变时期。世界卫生组织把10～24岁这个年龄段的人群称为青少年。当今，10～24岁的青少年已经成为在历史上人数构成最多的一代。全世界10～24岁的青少年已超过17亿人。在中国，15～24岁的人口数占总人口数的16％，约有2亿人。青春期包括从第二性征开始出现到性和生殖系统的成熟，在此期间需要建立成人的心理过程和成人的角色，     

Sexual Self-esteem and Body Image of South African Spinal Cord Injured Adolescents

Although adolescents sustain a large portion of spinal cord injuries, the area of spinal cord injured adolescents and the issues surrounding their sexuality are under-researched. This is the first South African study on the sexuality of spinal cord injured adolescents and attempts to address this paucity. It is generally postulated that the sexuality of adolescents who have sustained SCI will be detrimentally affected by the consequences of having a physical disability, resulting in developmental lags relative to non-disabled peers. The focus of this article is to explore the impact of spinal cord injury on adolescents sexual self-esteem and body image. A qualitative study was conducted, with data being collected via in-depth individual interviews, which were subsequently analyzed thematically. A disparity was found between dominant ableist discourses of the SCI adolescent as a sexually immature and passive spectator, and the lived experiences of the participants involved in the study. The study concluded that entrenched socially constructed attitudes appear to limit the opportunities for spinal cord injured adolescents to express their sexuality more than the limitations by their disabilities.     

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。     

Relationship of Condom Use with Other Sexual Risk Behaviors among Selected Japanese Adolescents

This study examines relationships between condom use and age at initiation of sex, the number of sexual partners, and alcohol or drug use before sex among a convenience sample of 2852 Japanese adolescents. We found that nonuse of condoms is related to early initiation of sex, having multiple sexual partners and alcohol or drug use before sex.     

Health Attitudes and Behaviors of African American Adolescents

African Americans continue to die disproportionately from chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Eating fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce those risks yet little is known about the health attitudes of African American adolescents and their eating habits and engagement in physical activity. A survey was administered to African American adolescents in a Midwestern city to determine the health attitudes and behaviors related to dietary intake and physical activity. The total sample consisted of 448 African American adolescents aged 12-17. Forty-seven percent were males and 53% were females. The findings show that African American adolescents did have poor fruit and vegetable intake and fairly low rates of exercise. The study also showed there were statistically significant differences between males and females regarding eating a balanced diet, reducing the amount of fat in diets and engaging in physical activity. African American females were more likely to eat a balanced diet and have reduced the fat in their diets than males but African American males were more likely to engage in physical activity in the past 7 days than females. Findings suggest more efforts are needed to curb the poor eating and exercising habits of African American adolescents if a reduction in chronic disease is to be met for this population.     

Methamphetamine Use and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors among Incarcerated Female Adolescents with a Diagnosed STD

Juvenile detention settings provide an important venue for addressing the health-related needs of adolescent populations, who often have high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and concomitant drug use. This study examines factors associated with methamphetamine use and risky sexual behaviors among 539 incarcerated female adolescents between ages 12–18 years with an STD diagnosis. Data were obtained from interviews with detainees receiving STD case management services within a California juvenile detention facility in January 2006–June 2007. High-risk behaviors characterized the sample, such as low use of condoms consistently (43.3%), prior STD infection (25%), pregnancy history (26%), arrest charge for prostitution or drug use (23%), and a history of prostitution (18%). Half of the sample reported weekly alcohol or drug use; most commonly used drugs were marijuana (37%), alcohol (21%), and methamphetamine (16%). In multivariate analysis, African Americans had a lower odds of methamphetamine use (odds ratio [OR] = .163) compared with whites. Detainees who reported inconsistent condom use had over twice the odds of methamphetamine use (OR = 2.7) compared with consistent condom users. In addition, those who reported alcohol use had twice the odds of methamphetamine use (2.0). There was a significant interaction between Latina ethnicity and having an arrest charge for drugs or prostitution; Latinas who had this charge had over 11 times the odds of using methamphetamine compared with those with other arrest charges (OR = 11.28). A better understanding of the relationship between drug use and sexual risk behaviors of STD-positive incarcerated female adolescents can inform the development of appropriate corrections and community-based interventions serving this segment of high-risk adolescents.     

Sexual Risk Behavior: a Multi-System Model of Risk and Protective Factors in South African Adolescents

Prevention Science - Adolescent sexual risk behavior has typically been studied within singular, isolated systems. Using a multi-system approach, this study examined a combination of individual,...     

The Relationship Between Violence Syndemics and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among African American Adolescents: Implications for Future Research

PurposeWe present a conceptual framework based on a review of the literature to highlight the interconnecting and reinforcing elements of a violence syndemic and how this syndemic influences sexual risk behaviors among African American heterosexual adolescents.MethodsWe review existing peer-reviewed published research from 2000 to 2020 that links a violence syndemic (i.e., racism and race-related stress, neighborhood and police violence, peer violence, and family violence and disruptions) to adolescent sexual risk behaviors. Empirical findings and theoretical underpinnings are used to document this relationship and illuminate the factors that mediate this relationship.ResultsEmpirical studies support the links between specific types of violence and sexual risk behaviors among African American adolescents. Further, existing studies point to the important relationships among the specific types of violence, supporting a violence syndemic approach.ConclusionsWhile more researchers are examining socio-ecological contextual factors as important predictors for sexual risk behaviors, there remains inadequate understanding about how violence types reinforce one another to heighten sexual risk behaviors among African American heterosexual adolescents. This article presents new directions for adolescent research, especially how a violence syndemic approach can be used to explain sexual risk, but also to refocus intervention design on the complex burdens experienced by this population.     

First Time Cannabis Use and Sexual Debut in U.S. High School Adolescents

Purpose

Use of illicit drugs by adolescents might facilitate or trigger other risky behaviors, including early sexual initiation (ESI), multiple partners, and unprotected sex. This study examines whether the age at which adolescents initiate cannabis use is associated with the age of their first sexual intercourse in the U.S. in 2015.

Depressive Symptoms Among Hong Kong Adolescents: Relation to Atypical Sexual Feelings and Behaviors, Gender Dissatisfaction, Pubertal Timing, and Family and Peer Relationships

A representative community sample of Hong Kong boys (n = 1,024) and girls (n = 1,403), age 14-18 years, provided information regarding same-sex attraction, gender dissatisfaction, pubertal timing, early experience with sexual intercourse, and depressive symptoms. They also rated the quality of their family and peer relationships and self-perceived attractiveness. Depressive symptoms were higher in youths reporting same-sex attraction, gender dissatisfaction, early pubertal maturation, and early sexual intercourse. Family relationships were less satisfactory for those who reported same-sex attraction, gender dissatisfaction, and early sexual intercourse, and peer relationships were also worse for those who reported gender dissatisfaction. In multivariate analyses, same-sex attraction, early sexual intercourse, and early pubertal maturation were unique and direct contributors to depressive symptoms; however, gender dissatisfaction's association with depressive symptoms was largely accounted for by shared correlations with negative family and peer relationships. The multivariate model explained 11% of the variance of depressive symptoms. These findings offer a preliminary documentation of the prevalence and correlates of atypical sexual self-assessments and behavior among adolescents in Hong Kong. Such information is important if theories of sexual identity and risk factors for depressive symptoms are to have cross-cultural utility.     

Australian and South African Undergraduates' HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors

To understand safe sexbehavior in two countries which have been differentially affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the present study compared the AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of 920 heterosexual undergraduate students in Australia and 228 heterosexual undergraduate students in South Africa. South African students were found to have significantly less knowledge about HIV/AIDS, and significantly less favorable attitudes toward safe sexbehavior than their Australian counterparts. Theywere also more likely to report that they have avoided various groups of people for fear of contracting AIDS. Experience from Australia over the period 1986-1995 suggests that significant improvements in the AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of South African undergraduates are achievable.     

The Relationship Between Early Sexual Debut and Psychosocial Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study of Dutch Adolescents

In a longitudinal dataset of 470 Dutch adolescents, the current study examined the ways in which early sexual initiation was related to subsequent attachment, self-perception, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems. For male adolescents, analyses revealed general attachment to mother and externalizing problems at Wave 1 to predict to early transition at Wave 2. However, there was no differential change in these psychosocial factors over time for early initiators of sexual intercourse and their non-initiating peers. For female adolescents, the model including psychosocial factors at Wave 1 did not predict to sexual initiation at Wave 2. However, univariate repeated measures analyses revealed early initiators to have significantly larger increases in self-concept and externalizing problems than their non-initiating female peers. While the difference between female early initiators and non-initiators were statistically significant, the mean levels of problem behaviors were very low. The findings suggest that, contrary to previous research, early sexual initiation does not seem to be clustered with problem behaviors for this sample of Dutch adolescents.     

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.     

Rural and Urban Differences in Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents in Florida

The national teen birth rate is higher in rural compared to urban areas. While national data suggest rural areas may present higher risk for adverse sexual health outcomes among adolescents, it is unknown whether there are differences within the state of Florida. Overall, Florida has poorer sexual health indicators for adolescents compared to national rates. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in sexual behaviors among Florida adolescents by rural–urban community location. This study includes baseline data from a randomized controlled trial conducted in Florida high schools. Of the 6316 participants, 74% were urban and 26% were rural. Participants responded to questions on sexual behaviors, sexual behavior intentions, and demographics. We estimated the effect of rural–urban status on risk outcomes after controlling for demographic variables using generalized linear mixed models. More teens from rural areas reported ever having sex (24.0%) compared to urban teens (19.7%). No significant differences were observed for most of sexual behaviors assessed. Nonetheless, urban participants were less likely to intend to have sex without a condom in the next year compared to rural participants (aOR?=?0.76, 95% CI 0.63–0.92). Overall, there were no major differences in sexual behaviors between rural and urban adolescents in Florida. However, sexual intentions differed between rural and urban adolescents; specifically, rural adolescents were more likely to intend to have sex without a condom in the next year compared to urban adolescents. Understanding the specific disparities can inform contraception and sexual health interventions among rural youth.     

Correlates of Sexual Risk Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual South African Youths

We explored psychosocial correlates of sexual risk among heterosexual and sexual minority youths (SMYs) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Young people 16 to 18 years old (n = 822) were administered surveys assessing demographic characteristics, sexual behaviors, mental health, and parent–child communication. Adjusted multivariate regressions examining correlates of sexual risk revealed that SMYs had more sexual partners than heterosexual youths (B = 3.90; SE = 0.95; P < .001) and were more likely to engage in sex trading (OR = 3.11; CI = 1.12-8.62; P < .05). South African SMYs are at increased risk relative to their heterosexual peers.South Africa has the highest burden of HIV in the world; 9.2% of young persons aged 15 to 19 years living in the country are infected with HIV.1,2 Few studies have examined multilevel sexual risk factors (e.g., individual, partner, family) among sexual minority youths (SMYs)3 in South Africa, despite their increased vulnerability.4–8 Research has shown that rates of sexual risk behavior are high among adult men who have sex with men (MSM) in sub-Saharan Africa,5,9 and South African SMYs may be especially vulnerable given the transitional nature of adolescence, fear of discrimination, and lack of cultural acceptance of homosexuality.4,7,10Our analyses were guided by theories of syndemics (i.e., collective risk or co-occurring epidemics)11–13 and minority group stress.14 These theories posit that young MSM experience psychosocial disparities in numerous areas (substance use, abuse and victimization, mental health problems, risk taking)15–18 and that SMYs are at increased risk for poor mental health, sexual vulnerability, substance use, and violence.19,20 Moreover, stigma creates stressful environments, another cause of mental health problems among SMYs.14 This situation is especially salient in South Africa, where same-sex behavior is so highly stigmatized that even normative adolescent sexual exploration would likely be denounced.7We hypothesized that South African SMYs would be at increased sexual risk relative to heterosexual youths. To our knowledge, this is one of the first investigations to examine risk and protective factors associated with sexual risk in this population.