246582 Sexual Initiation, Parenting Practices and Acculturation in Hispanic Seventh Graders

Monday, October 31, 2011: 1:30 PM

Daisy Morales-Campos, PhD , Institute for Health Promotion Research, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Christine Markham, PhD , Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, Houston, TX
Melissa Peskin, PhD , Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, Houston, TX
Maria E. Fernandez, PhD , Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Hispanic youths have high rates of sexually transmitted infections and pregnancies, yet few research studies have targeted multiple protective/risk factors for early sexual initiation in this group. This study examined two main factors—parenting practices and acculturation—on early sexual initiation among Hispanic middle school students in Texas. Using data from Hispanic seventh graders (n = 655) in 15 urban middle schools in southeast Texas, we examined the association between parenting practices (parental monitoring and parent-child communication about sexual health) and sexual initiation. To control for potential confounders, including students' acculturation level, multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted. Individual tests were also conducted for acculturation-level by independent variables, outcome, and covariates. After controlling for age, gender, parent/guardian education, family structure, acculturation level (low, bicultural, high), and intervention status, the likelihood of ever having sex decreased 50% for every one-point increase in the parental monitoring score (AOR = 0.50; 95% CI = .34, .75) among Hispanic seventh graders. No association was found between ever having sex and parent-child communication scores (AOR = 1.29; 95% CI = .76, 2.18). Furthermore, analyses indicated parental monitoring differed significantly between acculturation levels, one-way ANOVA F(2, 652) = 5.07, p < .007. This finding was unrelated to the parental monitoring-initiation association in the multivariable model. Study findings suggest that parental monitoring delays sexual initiation, and differs by acculturation level, among Hispanic middle school students in Texas. These findings can inform school-based, parent-involved interventions designed to delay sexual initiation among Hispanic youth.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
•Demonstrate an understanding of the social cultural context in relation to Hispanic seventh graders’ report of parent-child communication, parental monitoring, and sexual initiation. •Define acculturation and describe how it is measured. •Discuss how study results inform school based interventions to delay sexual initiation among Hispanic youth.

Keywords: Sexual Behavior, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I design and manage health programs/intervention for adolescents on health topics such as physical activity, cancer and STD prevention.
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.