The dramatic racial disparities in the rates of HIV/STIs among African Americans make understanding broader structural factors that increase the risk for HIV/STIs crucial. The current study of young 564 African American men attending sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics investigated whether those who had ever been incarcerated reported recent sexual behaviors relatively more risky than their counterparts who had never been incarcerated. Participants were recruited from clinics treating STIs in three southern U.S. cities. Males 15–23 years of age who identified as Black/African American and reported recent (past two months) sexual activity were eligible. Linear mixed-effects models and Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) models were used to assess associations between baseline incarceration history and sexual risk behavior over a 6-month follow-up period. Mean age was 19.6 years (SD=1.87). At baseline, 240 (42.6%) men reported history of incarceration. Incarceration history predicted several risk behaviors over a 6-month follow-up period. Compared to those with no incarceration history, men previously incarcerated reported a desire to conceive a pregnancy (β=.40, p=.02), were less likely to have used a condom at last sex act (OR=.91, p=.02) and were more likely to have used drugs and alcohol before sex in the past two months (β=.69, p<.001; β=.41, p<.001). A history of incarceration may influence the sexual risk behavior of young African American males. Prevention programs and interventions should intensify support for post-incarceration African American males to help mitigate this behavior.
Findings suggest a need for improved medical knowledge, healthcare access, and social support for teen mothers. This may be provided through a multidisciplinary medical home model, such as a Teen-Tot clinic, where the unique challenges of adolescent parenting are continuously considered.
Objective
This study determined whether perceived parental monitoring (PPM) is associated with any of twelve selected outcomes related to sexual risk behaviors of young Black males (YBM).
Methods
Recruitment occurred in clinics diagnosing and treating sexually transmitted infections. YBM living with a parent or guardian (N = 324) were administered a 9-item scale assessing level of PPM. The obtained range was 10 – 45, with higher scores representing more frequent monitoring.
Results
The mean was 29.3 (sd=7.0). Eight of the twelve outcomes had significant associations with PPM (all in a direction indicating a protective effect). Of these eight, five retained significance in age-adjusted models were ever causing a pregnancy, discussing pregnancy prevention, safer sex, and condom use with sex partners, and using a condom during the last act of penile-vaginal sex.
Conclusion
Monitoring by a parent figure may be partly protective against conceiving a pregnancy for Black males 15–23 years of age.
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