224914 Youth Asset Group Associations with Safer Sex Practices

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 9:10 AM - 9:30 AM

Cheryl Aspy, PhD , College of Medicine, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Sara Vesely, PhD , Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Eleni Tolma, MPH, PhD , College of Public Health, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Roy Oman, PhD , College of Public Health, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Janene Fluhr, MS , College of Public Health, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Teen pregnancy rates are again increasing despite programs promoting abstinence and increased use of birth control. This study examined associations between youth assets and safer sex (SS, i.e., youth who were abstinent or used birth control every time they had sex) using data from the Youth Asset Study, a 5-wave, 4-year longitudinal study of youth/parent pairs to prospectively investigate associations among youth risk behaviors and 17 youth assets believed to influence behavior at multiple levels including individual (7 assets, e.g., responsible choices), family (4 assets, e.g., family communication), and community (6 assets, e.g., community involvement). Youth who reported no sexual intercourse at baseline (N=817; Mean age 14.0; 41% White, 21% African-American, 29% Hispanic; 9% other) were followed for 4 years to determine differences in asset groups between youth reporting SS (N=513) and those who did not. Results indicated a significant asset group by family income interaction for all three asset groups (individual, family, and community) after adjusting for age, gender, race, and family structure. Youth in homes with <$5,000 incomes with 3 or 4 family or 3 community assets were about 2 times as likely to report SS compared to those with 0-1 family or community assets. In higher income homes (>$62,000), youth with 7 versus 0-4 individual assets were 4 times as likely to report SS. Recognizing family income as an important factor influencing asset/safer sex associations can inform future program development. Future research should explore associations among specific assets and SS.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will: 1) Describe the role of individual, family and community asset groups in youth decisions to practice safer sex; and 2) Assess applications of this information to program planning.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have over 10 years of experience in this research area.
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.