A Comparison of African American and Cuban American Adolescent Juvenile Offenders: Risky Sexual and Drug Use Behaviors.
Racial and ethnic disparities exist in HIV seroconversion rates, with African American and Hispanic youth in the 13-19-year-old age group representing 61% and 21% of new AIDS cases, respectively. The aim of this study was to examine sexual and drug use behaviors among a sample of 138 African American and Cuban American juvenile offenders. Cuban American adolescents showed higher levels of unprotected sex, higher levels of sex while using drugs, and higher levels of drug/alcohol use in the three and six months prior to confinement. These differences may be explained by multiple factors, including differences in acculturation levels among the Cuban American adolescents, differences in health messages targeted at the two groups, and family mores and norms.
Dévieux
Jessy G
JG
Jessy G. Dévieux, PhD, Robert M. Malow, PhD, Emma Ergon-Pérez. MA, Deanne Samuels, PhD, Sarah R. Khushal, MS, and Michèle Jean-Gilles, PhD, are affiliated with the AIDS Prevention Program, College of Health and Urban Affairs, Florida International University, 3000 Northeast 151st Street, ACI260. North Miami, FL 33181. Patria Rojas, MSW, MPH, is affiliated with the College of Health and Urban Affairs, School of Social Work, Florida International University (E-mail: devieuxj@fiu.edu ).
Malow
Robert M
RM
Ergon-Pérez
Emma
E
Samuels
Deanne
D
Rojas
Patria
P
Khushal
Sarah R
SR
Jean-Gilles
Michèle
M