The potential protective effects of youth assets from adolescent sexual risk behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship among individual youth assets and adolescent sexual risk behaviors.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, in-home interview data from randomly selected inner-city neighborhood teenagers (N = 1253) and their parents (N = 1253) were analyzed. Demographic information (e.g., age, parental income, family structure) was statistically controlled for while investigating the relationships among youth asset and sexual activity outcomes using logistic regression analyses. Potential interactions between the demographic variables and the assets were also examined. The five sexual risk behaviors included "never had sexual intercourse," current sexual activity, number of lifetime sexual partners, current use of birth control, and age at first intercourse.


RESULTS
Youth mean age was 15.4 (+/- 1.7) years; 52% were female; 49% were Non-Hispanic Caucasian, 23% Non-Hispanic African-American, 19% Hispanic and 10% Non-Hispanic Native American. Sixty-three percent reported never having had sexual intercourse. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that, after controlling for the demographic variables and the other significant assets, Non-Parental Adult Role Models, Peer Role Models, Use of Time (Religion), and Future Aspirations were independently significantly related (p <.05) to whether or not youth had ever participated in sexual intercourse. Individual multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that, after controlling for the demographic variables, Peer Role Model and Family Communication assets were each significantly associated with birth control use by sexually active youth (p <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Specific youth assets may have a protective effect from certain sexual risk behaviors.
Vesely
Sara K
SK
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73190, USA. Sara.Vesely@ouhsc.edu
Wyatt
Vicki H
VH
Oman
Roy F
RF
Aspy
Cheryl B
CB
Kegler
Michelle C
MC
Rodine
Sharon
S
Marshall
Ladonna
L
McLeroy
Kenneth R
KR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011204:Poverty Areas; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior