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

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.