Risk perceptions, condom use, and sexually transmitted diseases among adolescent females according to social network position.
OBJECTIVE
Adolescent females are frequently treated as a homogenous group but could differ on their sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk because of individual attitudes and exposure through sexual networks.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to determine if risk perceptions, condom use, and STD prevalence differs within sexual networks.


METHODS
Three hundred three adolescent females participating in a longitudinal study of adolescent STD risk perceptions and condom use were categorized as "core," "bridge," and "periphery" in a sexual network according to their and their main sex partner's risk information. Regression analysis determined differences in risk perceptions by network location.


RESULTS
We demonstrated an inverse relationship between STD risk perceptions and network location. Adolescents with higher risk perceptions were more likely to use condoms, irrespective of network location.


CONCLUSIONS
Female adolescents are a heterogeneous group exhibiting different risk perceptions. Different intervention strategies for adolescents at higher risk could be necessary. Interventions designed to raise risk perceptions could be associated with condom use, even for those adolescents at greatest risk.
Departments of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
Julie A
JA
Bettinger
Nancy E
NE
Adler
Frank C
FC
Curriero
Jonathan M
JM
Ellen
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control