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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Shelly R. Koenemann, MPH, Marlena Kuruvilla, MPH/MSW, Claire Brindis, DrPH, and Michelle Barenbaum, MPH. Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94143, (415) 476-0720, shelly.koenemann@ucsf.edu

Research suggests that religiosity protects against adolescent sexual risk-taking. California's Teen Pregnancy Prevention program evaluation demonstrates how religious/cultural beliefs affect sexual and contraceptive behaviors.

In a sample of over 7,000 youth, 38% responded that religious/cultural beliefs were “very important” to them. These youth were significantly more likely than others to report that they were “sure they would not” or they “probably would not” have sex in the next year (73% vs. 65%). They were also significantly less likely to be sexually active, reporting lower levels of ever having oral sex (26% vs. 34%) and vaginal sex (29% vs. 36%). However, among sexually active youth, there were no significant differences between youth who reported strong religious/cultural beliefs and other youth on use of reliable contraception at last sex, use of contraception every time they had sex in the last month, number of lifetime sex partners, or number of sexual encounters in the past month. Furthermore, among youth who never had vaginal intercourse, those rating religious values as a “very true” reason to wait to have sex were equally likely as other youth to have oral sex.

These data suggest that religious/cultural beliefs were protective until sexual debut, after which point no effects were found on contraceptive use, number of sexual partners, or frequency of sex. While this study notes the prominent role of religion and culture, the results also imply that a comprehensive approach which prepares youth, not only to delay sex, but to handle subsequent decisions, may be necessary.

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