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

Abstract #115497

HyeonSuk Kim, MPH, PhD, School of Public Health and School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, 1420 Washington Heights, SPH II, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, 734-763-8299, hyeonsuk@umich.edu

Although adolescent sexual behavior is widespread, there is a paucity of data regarding sexual activity among Asian American adolescents. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of emotional characteristics of adolescents, relationship with parents, adolescent and best friend alcohol drinking, and perceived neighborhood safety and happiness on adolescent sexual intercourse. The sample includs1584 Asian American adolescents in grades 7 to 12 that participated in Wave I of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health as a nationally representative data. Logistic regression using STATA is used to examine parental, peer and neighborhood influences on sexual intercourse behavior.

Adolescents who were older were more likely to have sexual intercourse(OR: male 1.627; female 1.275). A lower grade point average was significantly associated with female sexual intercourse(O.R=0.412), but not males. Self-esteem and depressive mood were not significant to sexual intercourse in both genders. Adolescent alcohol drinking was strongly associated with having more sexual intercourse in adolescents(OR male 2.959; female 3.355). Adolescents with more friends who drink alcohol were more likely to experience sexual intercourse(OR: male 1.804; female 1.682). The relationship with parents was not significant in male sexual intercourse, but poor relationship with their father was significant to females(OR: 0.675). Neighborhood factors were not associated with sexual intercourse in both genders.

Thus, alcohol use by adolescents and best friends was the strongest factor to sexual intercourse, regardless of gender. These findings suggest that cultural factors and gender differences must be considered when designing interventions and education for Asian American adolescents.

Learning Objectives:

• • Identify age, GPA, emotional character, parents and friends’ factors that influence sexual intercourse behavior
• • Understand how parent, friends, and intrapersonal factors impact sexual intercourse behavior in Asian American adolescents
• • Recognize the gender and cultural perspectives for prevention programs of sexual intercourse in early age among Asian American adolescents

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Sexual Behavior

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.