Sexual Behavior Of African American Adolescent Girls And Young Women Affected By Fear Of Abuse

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Women's Health / Gynecology;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 17 Apr 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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A new study finds that the fear of abuse may heighten the risk of possible acquisition of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) among adolescent girls and young women as negotiating condom use diminishes.

Researchers examined the interactive effects of fear of abuse and knowledge of STIs on sexual risk behaviors in a sample of 715 African American young adult women, aged 15 to 21 years. They found that 75% of these young adult women reported inconsistent condom use in the past 60 days. Under relatively higher levels of fear, young adult women with high levels of STI knowledge were more likely than were those with low STI knowledge to exhibit inconsistent condom use in the past 60 days and during the last sexual intercourse with a main sexual partner.

"Our findings highlight the need for combining dating violence prevention activities with STI and HIV prevention programs targeting African American adolescent girls and young women," suggest the study's authors.

"Effects of Fear of Abuse and Possible STI Acquisition on the Sexual Behavior of African American Adolescent Girls and Young Women."

The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly Journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA).

Source
The American Journal of Public Health

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