141st APHA Annual Meeting

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283118
Predictors for risky behaviors in u.s. hispanic youth surveyed from YRBSS 2011

Monday, November 4, 2013

Rachel Logan, B.S., MPH Candidate , Health Group, North American Management, Fairfax, VA
Sophia Sadiq, MPH Candidate , Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Michelle Hiser, MPH Candidate , Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Introduction: A nationally-representative sample of students from 47 states and six territories surveyed by the Youth Behavioral Risk Surveillance System (YRBSS) (2010-2012) was used to better understand the relationship between sexual activity and underage drinking in US adolescents. The information is provided to inform public health professionals of the need for tailored services for at-risk youth.

Methods: Youth who were surveyed (n=15, 425) reported past month and/or lifetime use of substances and ever engaging in sexual activity. A logistic regression was conducted to predict the likelihood of Hispanic students engaging in risky behaviors (sexual activity and underage drinking) more.

Results: Of the 15,364 students included in the survey; 50.2% were female and 49.8% were males. Hispanic youth (odds ratio [OR]: O.881; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.825, 0.942) were not more likely to drink alcohol than non-Hispanic youth. Hispanic ethnicity was associated with a greater number of lifetime sexual intercourse partners ([OR]: 1.069; [CI]: 1.030, 1.110). The percentage of Hispanic youth who drank five or more drinks within a couple of hours in the past 30 days is almost twice as high as non-Hispanic youth. The results for number of drinks in a lifetime and having intercourse in the past three months were not found to be significant.

Conclusions: Hispanic youth tend to have more sexual partners but do not consume alcohol more than other youth. Hispanic youth may benefit from culturally tailored underage drinking programs and sexual education about protective behaviors and limiting sexual partners to avoid negative health outcomes.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe a sample of youth in the U.S. who are at risk for negative sexual health outcomes. Discuss ways public health professionals can use analysis of data on adolescents to reach this special population. Analyze data from a national survey to identify behaviors associated with negative sexual health outcomes.

Keywords: Hispanic Youth, Sexual Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an MPH student finishing my last semester in epidemiology and am currently the Health Research Assistant for federally funded projects. I am responsible for investigating health disparities and health issues affecting public housing residents and older adults specifically. Other research interests include sexual and reproductive health, environmental health issues, and social epidemiology.
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.