Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110153

Rafaela R. Robles, EdD¹, Juan C. Reyes, EdD¹, Tomas D. Matos, MS², Juan Negrón, MPH, PhDc³, C. Amalia Marrero, MPH¹, Héctor M. Colón, PhD¹, and José M. Calderón, MS². (1) Center for Addiction Studies, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, PO Box 60327, Bayamón, PR 00960-6032, 787-785-4211, rrobles@uccaribe.edu, (2) Center for Addiction Studies, Universidad Central del Caribe, PO Box 60327, Bayamon, PR 00960-6032, (3) Center for Addiction Studies, Universidad Central del Caribe, School of Medicine, Call Box 60327, Bayamón, PR 00960-3062

Introduction: In both the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico, an exceptionally high rate of adolescents reported sexual activity. Researchers in the U.S. mainland have detected the role of family factors involved in adolescent's premature sex behavior and of contraceptive use. Our research will examine family structure, communication between parent and child, and parental supervision in order to discern the role of the family. This paper aims to detect the impact of communication between mother and offspring and its relation to adolescent premature sexual behavior. Methods: This study comprises a subsample of mothers and their offspring (n=291, 14-15 year old) from a prospective study on risk and resilience to drug use among Hispanic drug using and non-drug using parents residing in Puerto Rico. Item liker-type questions regarding the mother-adolescent communication on where and with whom the adolescent spends his/her leisure time were used. Results: Multiple regression analysis adjusted by children's gender, single mother household and the mother's education, depressive symptomatology and alcohol abuse/dependence show that adolescents who did not inform their mothers where they went after school (p=.053) with whom and where he/she were going to be (p=. 003) and did not discuss future plans he/she had made with their friends (p=.006) were more likely to report premature sex behaviors than those adolescents who report to have better communication with their mothers. Conclusion: Efforts to promote timely and safe practices among adolescents residing in Hispanic/Latino need to consider the role of communication skills as socializing agents influencing a child's propensity for premature sexual behaviors.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the role of the mother communication skills as socializing agents on their adolescent propensity for premature sexual behaviors.
• Describe the influence of depression and/or alcohol abuse/dependence in adolescent premature sexual behaviors.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.