Predictors of Risky Sexual Behavior in African American Adolescent Girls: Implications for Prevention Interventions

Abstract

Teens presenting in primary care settings in urban environments seem to be at high risk for HIV, STDs, and substance abuse, and risk reduction strategies should be introduced during the preteen years. An interdisciplinary model of care in primary care settings serving adolescents is clearly indicated, and prevention-oriented interventions aimed at reducing risky behaviors and preventing the development of more significant health, mental health, or substance abuse disorders are needed.

HIV-Related Sexual Risk Behavior Among African American Adolescent Girls

“…Another theory suggests that some girls seek new sexual partners as a means of reducing negative affect by achieving intimacy. 6 Studying these processes may be a significant avenue for future research and may aid in the development and enhancement of effective HIV interventions. For instance, if girls are engaging in sexual behavior with multiple partners in an attempt to create feelings of intimacy and connectedness with others, 26 teaching strategies for meeting intimacy needs without engagement in sexual behavior with multiple partners may be important.…”

“…Although multiple evidence-based HIV-prevention interventions have been developed and rigorously evaluated for adolescent populations, 3 limited resources (cost, personnel, space, time) support the utility of identifying youth at highest risk for infection. Numerous research efforts over the past several decades have uncovered a range of individual risk factors contributing to HIV infection among African American girls, including infrequent condom use, 4 multiple sexual partners, 5 substance use, 6 low self-esteem, 7 interpersonal trauma (e.g., child sexual abuse), 8 and ineffective coping styles. 9 However, epidemiologic data have highlighted that these behaviors do not occur in isolation and that HIV risk is heightened by the co-occurrence of such risk factors.…”

HIV Prevention Among African American Youth: How Well Have Evidence-Based Interventions Addressed Key Theoretical Constructs?

“…Peer sexual behaviors Perception of more sexual intercourse, other risk behaviors, positive social gains and positive attitudes towards sex, associated with earlier age at first sex [65,75], increased ever had sex [64,65,[76][77][78][79]109], more unprotected sex [40,50,64,75], more sexual partners [65,75], and higher STD incidence [50,75] Positive social norms, associated with decreased ever had sex [81] and less unprotected sex [76] Normative beliefs favoring males, associated with more unprotected sex [40] Perceived barriers to condom use (partner motivation, sexual sensation, acquisitional barriers), associated with more unprotected sex [40,80] Related peer behaviors Increased delinquency and drug and alcohol use, associated with increased ever had sex [46,58,73,77], earlier age at first sex [58], more sexual partners [46], more unprotected sex [50,58], and higher STD incidence [39] Older peers drank alcohol, associated with increased ever had sex [77] Peer support, associated with later age at first intercourse, less sexual partners, and less unprotected sex [46] Family norms Mothers education (less than high school), associated with increased ever had sex [49,79] Adolescent perceives maternal disapproval of premarital sex, associated with decreased ever had sex [55] Consistency Self concept Negative health behaviors, associated with earlier age at first sex [60] B...…”

“You can exercise your way out of HIV” and other stories: The role of biological knowledge in adolescents' evaluation of myths

“…Several studies found that knowledge about HIV was associated with preventative behaviors such as more consistent contraception use (Baker et al, 2003;Bazargan et al, 2000;Jemmott & Jemmott, 1993;Reitman et al, 1996;Stanton et al, 1994), or fewer sexual partners (Zimet et al, 1992), while others found no relationship between HIV knowledge and behavioral outcome measures (Bachanas et al, 2002;Brown, DiClemente, & Park, 1992;DiClemente et al, 1992;Fisher et al, 1994;Melchert & Burnett, 1990;Mahoney, Thombs, & Ford, 1995;Romer et al, 1994). In general, there is evidence to suggest that knowledge of facts is sometimes unrelated to the tendency to engage in risky health-related behaviors associated with sex, drugs, and alcohol abuse (DiClemente, Hanson, & Ponton, 1996).…”