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189221 Epidemiology of HIV/STD-Associated Risk Behaviors among Detained Adolescent Girls: Comparison with the National YRBS Sample and a Clinic Sample from an Epidemiological Criminology Perspective

Monday, October 27, 2008: 1:25 PM

Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD , Rollins School of Public Health Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Laura F. Salazar, PhD , Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, GA
Richard A. Crosby, PhD , College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, Afghanistan
African-American adolescent girls are disproportionately impacted by the HIV/STD epidemics. One understudied subgroup is African-American adolescent girls in detention centers. To gauge the extent of risk behaviors among this subgroup, we compared the prevalence of HIV/STD-associated risks among adolescent girls recruited in Regional Youth Detention Centers in Georgia, the national CDC YRBS sample of girls, and a clinic-based sample of African American girls.

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There are important differences in the magnitude and type of risks. Overall, the profile of risks suggests that detained youth are at markedly higher risk for HIV/STD relative to the YRBS and clinic samples. These findings suggest that HIV/STD prevention interventions for this subgroup need to be tailored to address prevalent risk behaviors and adolescents' history of trauma and abuse. From an epidemiological criminology perspective, these findings reflect the need to further examine the impact of public health prevention intervention strategies as they are implemented into criminal justice facilities, such as detention centers.

Learning Objectives:
1. How do the STD/HIV risk behaviors of African American girls compare to those seen in clinics?2. What is the relationship between public health and criminal justice in juvenile facilities? 3. How best to implement an STD/HIV prevention intervention in juvenile facilities?

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Have presented extensively at APHA and other national and international conferences.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Epidemiological Criminology: A 21st Century Interdisciplinary Paradigm at the Crossroad
See more of: Epidemiology