title: Hispanic and black American adolescents' beliefs relating to sexuality and contraception.
abstract: Popular beliefs and level of scientific knowledge regarding sexuality and contraception were elicited from black and Hispanic inner-city adolescents. Significant differences were found: Hispanic males were the most knowledgeable, Hispanic females the least, and black males and females were intermediate. A cultural basis for the dramatic difference between Hispanic male and female scores is suggested and the need to design culturally appropriate sexuality education classes is discussed. In addition, the data depicted two conflicting beliefs that were held simultaneously by many of the adolescents: Contraception is "good" because it prevents pregnancy, and it is "bad" because the various birth control methods carry serious health hazards for users.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Florida 33101.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shifman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orr
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fawcett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003267:Contraception; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D005835:Genitalia / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012723:Sex; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States