The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66153

Bonita Iritani, MA¹, Denise Hallfors, PhD¹, Carolyn Tucker Halpern, PhD², Martha W. Waller, MA², Jon M. Hussey, PhD, MPH², Dan Bauer, PhD³, Guang Guo, PhD⁴, and HyunSan Cho, PhD¹. (1) Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 1229 E. Franklin St., 2nd Fl., Chapel Hill, NC 27514, 919-967-8998 ext. 11, iritani@pire.org, (2) Dept. of Maternal & Child Health, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 401 Rosenau Hall, CB# 7445, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7445, (3) Psychology Department, North Carolina State University, Poe Hall, Room 732-A, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Raleigh, NC 27695-7801, (4) Sociology Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 216 Hamilton Hall, CB# 3210, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

This paper examines how drug and sex behavior patterns that put adolescents at risk for HIV differ among White, African American, and Hispanic youth, controlling for gender, age, and SES. Data are from Wave I of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a population-based sample of 20,745 secondary school students. Risk behaviors are examined using person-centered analyses, whereby groups of individuals, rather than variables, are sorted into clusters based on similar patterns of drug and sexual behaviors. Using six measures of substance use and four of sexual behavior, we identified 16 different behavior patterns. Four groups were identified a priori: abstainers, IV drug users, males who had sex with males, and persons reporting ever having sex for drugs or money. All other youth were included in cluster analyses that yielded 12 additional patterns: light dabblers, sex dabblers (low on drug use, high on sex), heavy dabblers (including heavy cigarette use), alcohol and sex dabblers, drinkers, binge drinkers, multiple sex partners, drug use with sex, marijuana users, high marijuana and sex, heavy smokers and sex, and high marijuana and other drug use variables. Clusters defined by sexual activity accounted for the majority of STI diagnoses. Although about half of youth were in the abstainers and light dabblers clusters, important subgroups with risky behavior for HIV were identified. Results from multinomial logistic regressions indicate significant differences in likelihood of risk cluster membership based on race/ethnicity and gender, controlling for age and SES. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to:
• 3. Describe risk profiles (risk clusters) formed when adolescents are grouped by their sexual and substance use behaviors.
  7. Identify ways in which risk cluster membership varies by race/ethnicity and gender.
  11. Discuss implications of the findings for public health providers and researchers.

Keywords: Adolescents, Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.