Abstract
Minority adolescents are affected disproportionately by HIV and STIs, and the Internet is a popular venue to meet sex partners.
Little is known about the risks of this behavior for minority adolescents. The majority of studies that have examined sexual
risk behavior online or STI/HIV prevention programs online have been among adult MSM. In this study, data from 1,045 African
American youth found that 6% met sex partners online and in chat rooms. Odds ratios, adjusting for gender, found this behavior
was associated with alcohol (AOR = 2.33, 95% CI [1.1, 4.7]) and drug use (AOR = 3.45, 95% CI [1.9, 6.1]), unprotected vaginal (AOR = 4.71, 95% CI [1.9, 8.4]) and anal sex (AOR = 4.77, 95% CI [1.3,17.1]) in the last 90 days, more lifetime vaginal (AOR = 3.65, 95% CI [2.0, 6.8]) and anal sex (AOR = 2.74, 95% CI [1.5, 4.8]), greater sexual sensation seeking (AOR = 2.92, 95% CI [1.5, 5.7]) and greater depression (AOR = 2.06, 95% CI [1.2, 3.6]. A final multiple logistic regression analyses found that male gender (AOR = 3.13, 95% CI [1.7, 5.8]), drug use at last sex (AOR = 2.41, 95% CI [1.3, 4.5]), lifetime history of vaginal (AOR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.5, 5.5]) and anal sex (AOR = 2.09, 95% CI [1.2, 3.6]), and cocaine use (AOR = 8.53, 95% CI [2.7, 27.3]) were independently associated with having sex with a partner met online. Meeting sex partners
online is associated with a variety of risks among African American youth; however, the Internet may be an opportunity for
intervention.
Little is known about the risks of this behavior for minority adolescents. The majority of studies that have examined sexual
risk behavior online or STI/HIV prevention programs online have been among adult MSM. In this study, data from 1,045 African
American youth found that 6% met sex partners online and in chat rooms. Odds ratios, adjusting for gender, found this behavior
was associated with alcohol (AOR = 2.33, 95% CI [1.1, 4.7]) and drug use (AOR = 3.45, 95% CI [1.9, 6.1]), unprotected vaginal (AOR = 4.71, 95% CI [1.9, 8.4]) and anal sex (AOR = 4.77, 95% CI [1.3,17.1]) in the last 90 days, more lifetime vaginal (AOR = 3.65, 95% CI [2.0, 6.8]) and anal sex (AOR = 2.74, 95% CI [1.5, 4.8]), greater sexual sensation seeking (AOR = 2.92, 95% CI [1.5, 5.7]) and greater depression (AOR = 2.06, 95% CI [1.2, 3.6]. A final multiple logistic regression analyses found that male gender (AOR = 3.13, 95% CI [1.7, 5.8]), drug use at last sex (AOR = 2.41, 95% CI [1.3, 4.5]), lifetime history of vaginal (AOR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.5, 5.5]) and anal sex (AOR = 2.09, 95% CI [1.2, 3.6]), and cocaine use (AOR = 8.53, 95% CI [2.7, 27.3]) were independently associated with having sex with a partner met online. Meeting sex partners
online is associated with a variety of risks among African American youth; however, the Internet may be an opportunity for
intervention.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-6
- DOI 10.1007/s10935-012-0262-3
- Authors
- Laura B. Whiteley, Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Coro West Building, One Hoppin Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Larry K. Brown, Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Coro West Building, One Hoppin Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Rebecca R. Swenson, Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Coro West Building, One Hoppin Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Robert F. Valois, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Peter A. Vanable, Department of Psychology and Center for Health and Behavior, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, NY, USA
- Michael P. Carey, Department of Psychology and Center for Health and Behavior, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, NY, USA
- Ralph DiClemente, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Laura F. Salazar, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Daniel Romer, Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Journal The Journal of Primary Prevention
- Online ISSN 1573-6547
- Print ISSN 0278-095X