Total number of youth assets, demographics, and never had sexual activity

Purpose: We explored the relationship between the total number of youth assets, demographic variables and never had sexual intercourse. Methods: The Youth Asset Study conducted in home interviews of 1111 youth/parent pairs in a Midwest city. 972 youth without missing demographic, sexual outcome, or asset data (17 assets measured) were analyzed. Mean age=14.3 ±1.6 years; 52% Female; 40% White; 29% Hispanic; 22% Black; 9% other; 75% two-parent households. Asset number was categorized into 4 levels: ≤8(14%), 9-11(27%), 12-14(40%), ≥15(19%). Chi square analysis and logistic regression analyses were conducted using an alpha of 0.05. Results: Asset level statistically differed across youth age and race, parental income and education and family structure. Never had sex also differed statistically across these five demographic variables. For example, as parental income increased so did the percent of youth in the highest asset level and the percent of youth that reported never having had sex. Gender was not associated with asset level or never had sex. The adjusted odds ratio for number of youth assets and never had sexual activity was 1.21 (95% confidence interval 1.14-1.28). For each additional asset a youth possessed the odds of never having had sexual intercourse was 1.21 higher as compared to a youth without the additional asset even after adjusting for the five demographic variables. Conclusions: Asset level and never had sex both differed significantly according to 5 demographic variables, however total number of assets was related to never having had sexual intercourse even after adjusting for demographic variables.