203516 Epidemiology and socio-ecological factors of Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs) among Hispanic adolescents who are transitioning to young adulthood

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Jieha Lee, PhD , Department of Social Work, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA
Hyeouk Chris Hahm, PhD, LCSW , Assistant Professor, Boston University School of Social Work, Boston, MA
Background: This study examined the prevalence of STDs, the longitudinal patterns of STD acquisition, and the longitudinal socio-ecological factors associated with STD diagnosis among Hispanic females.

Methods: A nationally representative sample of Hispanic females (n=1,073) who enrolled in wave 1 (1995, ages 12-18) and wave 3 (2001, ages 17-25) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were analyzed. To examine the STD acquisition pattern between year 1995 and 2001, this study categorized females into four groups: never infected; newly infected; no longer infected; and still infected/recurrence. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to test which socio-ecological factors are associated with STD diagnosis in 2001.

Results: A total of 80.2% of Hispanic women were categorized as the never infected group and 12.5% reported as the newly infected group. One percent of Hispanic women reported that they were still infected with STDs. In logistic regression analyses, having a higher acculturation level (OR=2.51), an early sexual debut (OR=4.50), lower parental education attainment (OR=0.92), tobacco use (OR= 2.74), illegal drug use (OR= 6.19), and cocaine use (OR= 5.0) during adolescence were significant predictors of self-reported STD diagnosis during young adulthood.

Conclusion: Involvement with various health risk behaviors including early sexual debut and substance use during adolescence were important predictors of STDs among Hispanic women during young adulthood. Higher level of acculturation and low SES were also associated with STDs among Hispanic women. Further effort is needed to examine the above factors when designing interventions to reduce STDs among Hispanic women.

Learning Objectives:
To identify the longitudinal patterns of STD acquisition among Hispanic females To examine the longitudinal socio-ecological predictors of STDs among Hispanic females To discuss the public health implication in addressing the role of race/ethnicity in STDs among Hispanic females To discuss possible intervention strategies that will reduce STDs among Hispanic females

Keywords: STD, Women's Sexuality

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: 2004-2008 Boston University, MA, Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Sociology and Social Work Program Dissertation Title: Sexual health disparities among racial/ethnic minority females: STDs and sexual risk behaviors. 2000-2004 University of Southern California, CA, MSW, Social Work 1998-2000 Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea, MA, Social Work 1993-1997 Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea, BA, Social Work Hahm, H. C., Lee, J., Zerden, L., Ozonoff, A., Amodeo, M., & Adkins, C. (2008). Longitudinal Effects of Perceived Maternal Approval on Sexual Behaviors of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Young Adults. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37, 74-84. Hahm, H.C., Lee, J., Ozonoff, A., & Amodeo, M. (2007). Predictors of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) among Asian and Pacific Islander Young Adults. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 39, 4, 231-239. Hahm, H.C., Wong, F.Y., Huang, Z.J., Ozonoff, A., & Lee, J. (2007). Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Sexual Minority Adolescents’ Longitudinal Patterns of Substance Use and Abuse; Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42 (3), 275-283. Lee, J., & Hahm, H.C. (2008). The 136th Annual meeting and expo of American Public Health Association in San Diego, CA. “Predictors of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Sexual Risk Behaviors among Racial/Ethnic Minority females.” Lee, J., & Hahm, H.C. (2008). The 116th Annual convention of American Psychological Association in Boston, MA. “Sexually Transmitted Diseases among White, Hispanic, and API young females” Lee, J., Hahm, H.C. , & Ozonoff, A. (2008). The 12th Annual meeting of Society for Social Work and Research in Washington, D.C. “Longitudinal Predictors of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Sexual Risk Behaviors among White and Asian Young Females; Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.” Paris, R., Bolton, R. & Lee, J. (2008). The 12th Annual meeting of Society for Social Work and Research in Washington, D.C. “Understanding How a Home-Based Therapeutic Intervention Helps Women with Postpartum Depression and their Infants.” Hahm, H.C., Lee, J., & Ozonoff, A. (2007). The Annual Meeting of Society for Research in Child Development in Boston, MA. “Substance Use among Asian American and Pacific Islander Sexual Minority Youth; Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.” Hahm, H.C., Lee, J., Ozonoff, A. & Amodeo, M. (2007). The Annual Meeting of Society for Research in Child Development in Boston, MA. “Predictors of HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections among Asians and Pacific Islanders; Gender, Sexual Behaviors and Health Belief.” Hahm, H.C., Amodeo, M., Ozonoff, A. & Lee, J. (2007). The 11th Annual meeting of Society for Social Work and Research in San Francisco, CA. “The Relationship between Problem Behaviors and HIV Risk Sexual Behaviors among Asian American Pacific Islander; Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.” Hahm, H.C., Lee, J., & Ozonoff, A. (2006). The Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association in Boston, MA. Gender Differences in the HIV/AIDS Risky Sexual Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) among Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Young Women and Young men. Hahm, H.C., Lee, J., & Ozonoff, A. (2006). The Annual Meeting of the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association in New Port, RI. “Health Care Disparities and Language Use at Home among Latino, Asian American, and American Indian Adolescents; findings from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).” Lee, J., Hahm, H.C., Ozonoff, A., & Raddish, B. (2006). Add Health Users Group Conference in Bethesda, MD. “Correlates of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) among Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI); Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.” Shin, S. H. & Lee, J. (2006). 14th Annual Meeting, Society for Prevention Research, San Antonio, TX. “Acculturation and Asian American adolescents substance abuse; The role of parental and peer disapproval.” Shin, S. H. & Lee, J. (2006). 14th Annual Meeting, Society for Prevention Research, San Antonio, TX. “Developing effective preventive interventions for maltreated children at risk of mental health problems.” Shin, S. H., Ung, T., & Lee, J. (2006). 100th Anniversary of School Social Work Conference, Boston, MA. “Promoting social work practice with maltreated children in school.” Shin, S. H. & Lee, J. (2006). 10th Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, San Antonio, TX. “Caregiver mental health services use, support networks, and utilization of mental health services by children involved with child welfare.”
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.

See more of: Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents: Multicultural Perspectives
See more of: Population, Reproductive and Sexual Health