Author ORCID Identifier
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-7-2013
Abstract
This study prospectively examined associations among multiple theoretically informed risk (e.g., depression, sexual sensation seeking, and risky peers norms) and protective factors (e.g., social support, STI knowledge, and refusal to have sex self efficacy) on unsafe sex among 715 African American adolescent females aged 15-21 who participated in an STI/HIV prevention intervention. Generalized estimating equation models were used to assess associations between baseline characteristics and sexual risk over a 12-month follow-up period. Overall risk in this population was high: at baseline, nearly a third of women reported sex under the influence of alcohol or substances; ≥ 2 partners for vaginal sex, and casual sex partners in the 60. days prior to baseline, and nearly 75% of those reporting vaginal sex used condoms inconsistently. In multivariable analysis, when risk and protective factors were simultaneously considered, higher levels of sexual sensation seeking were associated with having multiple sex partners and inconsistent condom use. Greater perception of risky peer norms was associated with a higher risk of having sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In addition, higher sex refusal self-efficacy was protective against having multiple; casual; and concurrent sex partners. Incorporating these salient factors into prevention programs may be critical to the development of targeted interventions for this population.
Keywords
African American females, prospective study, risk and protective factors, unsafe sex
Publication Title
Children and Youth Services Review
Rights
© 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
Recommended Citation
Voisin DR, Hotton A, Tan K, Diclemente R. A Longitudinal Examination of Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Drug Use and Unsafe Sex among Young African American Females. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2013 Sep 1;35(9):1440-1446. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.05.019. PMID: 23935234; PMCID: PMC3735175.
Comments
This is a peer reviewed Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Elsevier in Children and Youth Services Review, available at: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.05.019