The adolescent medicine HIV/AIDS research networkThe relationship of unsafe sexual behavior and the characteristics of sexual partners of HIV infected and HIV uninfected adolescent females
Section snippets
Subject population
This examination was completed within the ongoing observational study of HIV infected and high-risk HIV uninfected adolescents called the Reaching for Excellence in Adolescent Care and Health (REACH), a project of the Adolescent Medicine HIV/AIDS Research Network (AMHARN). Characteristics of the cohort, recruitment, eligibility criteria, and study design are reported elsewhere 16, 17. The Institutional Review Boards of all participating institutions approved the study and all participants
Results
At the time of analysis, 242 HIV infected and 131 HIV uninfected female subjects were enrolled in REACH. Seventy-seven HIV infected and 34 HIV uninfected subjects were excluded because of no sexual activity in the previous 3 months. Additionally, owing to incomplete data at baseline, we excluded 12 subjects among the HIV infected and 7 among the HIV uninfected. One hundred and fifty-three HIV infected subjects and 90 HIV uninfected subjects were eligible for this analysis. These 243 female
Discussion
The adolescent females in this study, 16 years old on average, report sexual partners who are 4 to 6 years older than they. Other researchers have previously demonstrated that sizeable proportions of adolescent females report male sexual partners who are 3 or more years older than themselves 8, 9. For the HIV infected females in our study, the age differential was even greater. The age difference between an adolescent female and an adult male, and the power differential it implies, may
Acknowledgements
The views expressed in this paper belong to the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the agencies or institutions with which they are affiliated.
References (31)
- et al.
Sexual behavior of American adolescentsResults from a U.S. national survey
J Adolesc Health
(1994) - et al.
Predictors of reported condom use in central Harlem youth as conceptualized by the health belief model
J Adolesc Health
(1997) - et al.
The REACH Project of the adolescent medicine HIV/AIDS research network
J Adolesc Health
(1998) - et al.
The REACH (Reaching for Excellence in Adolescent Care and Health) ProjectStudy design, methods, and population profile
J Adolesc Health
(2001) - et al.
Disclosure of serostatus by HIV infected youthThe experience in the REACH study
J Adolesc Health
(2001) - et al.
Predictors of high risk behavior in unmarried American womenAdolescent environment as risk factor
J Adolesc Health
(1994) - et al.
Factors influencing condom use among African American womenImplications for risk reduction interventions
Am J Community Psychol
(1998) - et al.
Stage of behavior change for condom useThe influence of partner type relationship and pregnancy factors
Fam Plann Perspect
(1996) - et al.
Adolescent sexual behaviourResults from an Ontario sample. Part II Adolescent use of protection
Can J Public Health
(1998) - et al.
Increased condom use among teenage males, 1988–1995The role of attitudes
Fam Plann Perspect
(1998)
The validity of self-reported condom use among adolescents
Sex Transm Dis
Teenagers at risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type I infection
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med
Sexual initiation with older male partners and subsequent HIV risk behavior among female adolescents
Fam Plan Perspect
Young men’s risk behaviors for HIV infection and sexually transmitted diseases 1988–1991
Am J Pub Health
The dynamics of young men’s condom use during and across relationships
Fam Plann Perspect
Cited by (67)
Age at marriage and HIV vulnerability among young married women living with HIV in northern Karnataka, India
2021, Children and Youth Services ReviewCitation Excerpt :It can be argued that women who marry considerably older men may be more vulnerable than other young women. For instance, studies have shown that older husbands may be more likely to be HIV infected than younger men (Gregson et al., 2002; Sturdevant et al., 2001). Moreover, if spousal age difference is considerable, young women may be less capable of asserting themselves or denying sex (Jensen & Thornton, 2003; Maman et al., 2002; Martin et al., 1999; Nurse, 2003; Van der Straten et al., 1998).
Transmission Risk Among Youth Living With HIV in the U.S.
2020, Journal of Adolescent HealthAssociation between sex partner meeting venues and sexual risk taking among urban adolescents
2012, Journal of Adolescent HealthPatterns of disclosure among youth who are HIV-positive: A multisite study
2012, Journal of Adolescent HealthCitation Excerpt :Therefore, health professionals need to promote disclosure and condom use by using strategies, such as motivational [7] and multisystemic therapy interventions [8], particularly with youth with multiple sexual partners. The lack of difference in engagement in unprotected sex between those with full and those with not full disclosure may be due to the high-risk sample, as other studies support this link [9]. Furthermore, this study focused on condom use in the past 3 months, and perhaps disclosure is associated with consistent condoms use over a longer period.
Trends and Correlates of Age-Disparate Sexual Partnerships in the United States: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys
2022, Sexually Transmitted Diseases