title: Correlates of early sexual activity among Hispanic children in middle adolescence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analyzed early sexual activity among Hispanic 14 to 15-year-old adolescents residing in a poor neighborhood in Puerto Rico.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information from a sample of 325 adolescents was collected from a randomized sample of community households. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the variables that help explained adolescents' sexual behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adolescents whose parents reported poor communication and poor parent control were more likely to engage in early sexual activity that those peers that did not report this type of family relationship. Adolescents who reported poor parent bonding and lack of discipline were more likely to engage in early sexual relationships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intervention and prevention programs need to be aware and address the role of the Hispanic culture in gender differences in early sexual activity in adolescence. If sexual norms related to gender role are changing in Puerto Rico, is a question that needs to be answered in future research.
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Studies, School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, PO Box 60-327, Bayamón, Puerto Rico 00960-6032. rrobles@uccaribe.edu
authors.forename: Rafaela R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Robles
authors.forename: Tomás D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Héctor M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Colón
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Negrón
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.forename: Elizabeth W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Shepard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D003075:Coitus; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011647:Puerto Rico