Adolescent females who initiate sex with older males may have an elevated risk of acquiring HIV because these partners are more likely than adolescent males to have had multiple partners, to have had varied sexual and drug use experiences, and to be infected with HIV. The potential power differentials created by differences in age and sexual experience may also present a greater HIV transmission risk.
Findings from our study indicate that adolescent females who initiated sex with older males are morelikely to experience problem drinking, use alcohol during sex, use marijuana in the last 12 months, and perceive that they are at risk for contracting HIV. Large partner age differentials at the onset of sexual intercourse are also related to the age of females' current partners. As espoused by Miller, Clark and Moore (1997), this suggests that the first sexual experiences may contribute to sexual "scripts", or ideas about sexual interactions (e.g., that condoms are used only for contraception), that are played out in the future with the same or different partners.
There is a need to document and address HIV risks female adolescents may face when their first sexual encounter is with an older male. This presentation will identify HIV risk-related behaviors of female adolescents who experienced their first sexual intercourse with an older partner. The implicatons of these findings for the design and implication of programs aimed at reducing adolescent heterosexual risk for HIV will also be discussed.
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will have an understanding about issues associated with adolescent females and sex with older partners. 2. Participants will have an understanding about sexual risk taking behavior among adolescent females. 3. Participants will have information that will assist in the development of HIV prevention for adolescent females
Keywords: Sexual Risk Behavior, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.