Adolescent Sexual Risk Behavior and the Hispanic Paradox

PRESENTATION TYPE: Individual Poster

CATEGORY/ THEME: Social and Environmental Determinants of Health

TITLE: Adolescent sexual risk behavior and the Hispanic paradox

ABSTRACT BODY:

Introduction:Rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to rise at the highest rate among high-risk adolescents, such as justice-involved youth. This is highly concerning, as this population is disproportionately comprised of cultural minority youth and are significantly less likely to receive prevention interventions. Further, socio-cultural factors, which are often not evaluated within the context of adolescent prevention interventions, appear to be directly related to health risk behaviors and treatment outcomes for Hispanic samples. Specifically, while primarily supported within the adult literature, research on the “Hispanic paradox” indicates recently immigrated adults tend to exhibit lower rates of health risk behavior, as compared to adults who have resided in the U.S. for several generations. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between socio-cultural and familial factors to determine their impact upon high-risk youths’ sexual risk behavior (SRB). 

Methods:  As part of a larger study on disparities in adolescent alcohol treatment, 365 youth were enrolled.  The current study consisted of youth identifying as Hispanic (N = 229; age range=12-18; M age = 16.1 years; 75.5% male).

Results: A zero-inflated Poisson model was used in MPlus due to the outcome variable’s non-normal distribution with excess zeroes.  The number of different partners (past 30 days) was regressed on gender, age, the number of relatives with drinking problems (FH+), generational status (GEN), parental monitoring (MON), the interaction of FH+xGEN, and the interaction of MONxGEN.  Significant effects were observed for both interaction variables (p = .002, b = 0.038 for FH+xGEN; p < .001, b = -0.08 for MONxGEN).  Females were significantly more likely to report lower number of partners (b = 0.294, p = .001).  Additionally, younger participants were more likely to report zero partners (b = -0.356, p = .006). 

Conclusions: In this sample, GEN alone was not significantly associated with Hispanic youths’ SRB; rather, the strength of the relationship between GEN and number of partners increases as FH+ increases.  In addition, the relationship between GEN and number of partners decreases as MON increases.  Family context, such as having a family member with alcohol use problems, should be considered when investigating SRB among this population. Also, monitoring by an adult family member may buffer adverse outcomes proposed in the Hispanic paradox.  Together, these data indicate the importance of addressing family context and cultural parenting practices in prevention interventions geared toward reducing SRB among Hispanic immigrant youth.