186049 Factors Associated with High-Risk Sexual Behavior among Sexually Active Adolescent Females: YRBS 2005

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 2:50 PM

Qurkeresseria Monique Jackson , Department of Psychology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
Cassandra Arroyo, PhD , Assistant Prof of Epidemiology Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
Ahmed Adu-Oppong, PhD, MBA, MHA, M , Assistant Prof Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
Swati Raychowdhury, PhD, MPH , Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
In 2005, the HIV case rate for Black women was 23 times the rate for white women. HIV infection was the leading cause of death for black women (including African American women) aged 25–34 years in 2004, suggesting that seroconversion occurs as early as high school age in African American women. Black women are most likely to be infected with HIV as a result of sex with men who are infected with HIV. It is imperative to understand what leads to this high-risk sexual behavior to develop preventive measures. The purpose of this study was to examine racial differences in the prevalence of high-risk sexual behavior among adolescent females and the factors associated with this behavior that could lead to high-risk sexual behaviors as adults. Data is taken from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. For the purpose of this study, the sample was restricted to Caucasian and African American sexually active adolescent females (N=2,186). High-risk sexual behavior was defined as no condom use at the last sexual intercourse. Variables of interest included age at sexual debut, race, substance use, sexual behaviors, emotional health, and HIV/AIDS education. Results from multivariable logistic regression stratified by race will be shared. Initial results show factors relating to emotional health are strongly associated with high-risk sexual behavior among African American females. Results also provide evidence against widely accepted variables as explanations for high-risk sexual behavior among African American females. These findings will be useful in developing evidence-based, culturally appropriate prevention programs.

Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to describe racial differences in prevalence of high-risk sexual behavior and factors associated with this behavior among adolescent females. 2. Participants will be able to discuss the association between emotional health and high-risk sexual behavior among African American females. 3. Participants will be able to discuss the implications of these associations for developing evidence-based, culturally appropriate prevention programs.

Keywords: Health Disparities, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was a summer research scholar in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. Dr. Arroyo was my mentor. I am working on my Bachelor of Psychology and will be entering the MPH program in Epidemiology at Georgia Southern University this Fall.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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