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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Nikki D. Bellamy, PhD¹, Min Qi Wang, PhD², Marion P. Leitao, BS³, and Rena A. Agee, BS³. (1) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1 Choke Cherry Road, 4-1005, Rockville, MD 20857, 240-276-2418, nikki.bellamy@samhsa.hhs.gov, (2) Department of Public and Community Health, University of Maryland, Suite 2387 Valley Drive, College Park, MD 20742, (3) ORC Macro, 11785 Beltsville Drive, Calverton, MD 20705

Background: The objective was to evaluate core pathways in Hispanic/Latino adolescents with a structural equation modeling (SEM) based on risk and protective factor framework. Hispanic/Latino adolescents (N=919) were selected out of 34 community-based project sites that participated in the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's Minority Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS Initiative. Method: Data were collected locally using a common baseline instrument that was administered within 30-days prior to program entry. The exogenous variables were ethnicity pride, neighborhood attachment, family cohesion, peer behavior, school connectedness, whereas self-efficacy (behavior intention), alcohol, tobacco/other drugs (ATOD) use, and HIV risk behaviors served as the endogenous variables. Results: The model fit indices met the acceptable standard for SEM (CFI = 0.939, TLI = 0.928, RMSEA = 0.039). Significant direct effects were found (p<. 05): positive ethnicity pride predicted greater school connectedness that was related to higher scores of self-efficacy; positive family cohesion predicted greater neighborhood attachment and higher scores of self-efficacy; higher scores of self-efficacy was associated with less ATOD use; reported higher ATOD use predicted more likely not to use condoms, have more sex partners, and more likely to use substances before sex. Conclusions: Empirical findings support protective factors that should be adopted into prevention interventions involving Hispanic/Latino adolescents.

Learning Objectives:

• Use of structural equation modeling for ATOD use in predicting HIV risk behavior pathways in Hispanic/Latino adolescents - a consideration for prevention interventions

Keywords: Prevention, Hispanic Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation