326179
Trajectories of adolescent substance use, sexual risk taking and depressive symptoms using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health
Andra Wilkinson, MSPH,
Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Amy Herring, ScD,
Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC
Adolescent risk taking (sexual risk and substance use) and depression are significant experiences in the life course as they can contribute to sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy, and substance abuse/addiction in young adulthood. Previous analyses have yielded mixed findings on the patterns of these behaviors/experiences from adolescence into young adulthood and how these patterns relate to each other. The aim of this project is to use advanced statistical modeling and a large and diverse nationally representative sample (n=9421) to describe these patterns. With data from Waves I, III and IV from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this project will use multilevel longitudinal models to examine patterns of change in risk taking (measured by frequency of substance use and sexual risk behaviors) over time and how depressive symptoms (measured by the CES-D) are associated with the intercept or slope of these patterns, and how risk taking is associated with the intercept or slope of depressive symptoms over time. These patterns are examined by gender. The results of this analysis will inform public health prevention and screening efforts by identifying the ages when depressive symptoms are highest and when risk behaviors peak for male and female adolescents and young adults.
Learning Areas:
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Describe patterns of adolescent substance use, sexual risk taking, and depression from adolescence into young adulthood and how they are associated with each other
Differentiate how these patterns and associations differ by gender
Keyword(s): Adolescents, Sexual Risk Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am in the Doctoral program in Maternal and Child Health and so am receiving training in the science of adolescent risk taking. Also, as a predoctoral trainee at the Carolina Population Center, I am receiving training in advanced analytic methods including longitudinal multilevel models as well as Add Health data analysis. Drs. Herring and Halpern are senior faculty in the School of Public Health and are experienced in this 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.
