HIV/STD-protective benefits of living with mothers in perceived supportive families: a study of high-risk African American female teens.
BACKGROUND
The joint influence of living with the mother in a perceived supportive family may be an important HIV/STD-protective factor among sexually active female adolescents.


METHODS
Sexually active African American female adolescents (N = 522) completed a self-administered survey and structured interview. Adolescents scoring high on family support and reporting that their mother lived with them were compared with the remaining adolescents in respect to unprotected vaginal sex (past 30 days), sex with a non-steady partner (past 6 months), communication with sex partners, attitudes toward condoms, and perceived ability to negotiate condom use. Logistic regression analyses controlled for the influence of parent-adolescent communication about sex and parental monitoring.


RESULTS
Adolescents residing with their mothers in a perceived supportive family were more likely to communicate with their sex partners about sexual risk (OR = 1.53). They were less likely to report sex with a non-steady partner (OR = 0.51) or having unprotected sex with a steady partner (OR = 0.52) or any partner (OR = 0.55).


CONCLUSIONS
Controlled analyses suggest that living with the mother in a perceived supportive family is an important HIV/STD-protective factor among female adolescents. HIV/STD prevention programs for female adolescents that include the mothers may promote positive and lasting effects.
Crosby
R A
RA
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Room 520, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. rcrosby@sph.emory.edu
DiClemente
R J
RJ
Wingood
G M
GM
Cobb
B K
BK
Harrington
K
K
Davies
S L
SL
Hook
E W
EW
Oh
M K
MK
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States