Racial/ethnic differences in patterns of sexual behavior and STI risk among sexually experienced adolescent girls.
OBJECTIVE
Racial/ethnic differences in prevalence and patterns of oral and anal sex were analyzed among girls participating in a microbicide acceptability study.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis


METHODS
Recruitment to participate in a 6-month study examining microbicide acceptability was conducted at a school-based health clinic and local colleges in Galveston, Texas and through snowball sampling.


METHODS
Sexually experienced girls (n = 202) ages 14 to 21 years of age.


METHODS
Girls reported on their demographic and sexual history at the intake interview.


CONCLUSIONS
Their mean age was 18.2 years; 26% were white, 43% African-American, and 31% Hispanic. African-American girls were significantly less likely than whites and Hispanics to have had oral sex; no differences were found for anal sex. African-American girls were significantly older than whites and Hispanics when they initiated oral sex. African-American girls had a greater difference between ages of vaginal and oral sex initiation than whites and Hispanics. Oral sex history was associated with a 6-factor increase and anal sex history was associated with a 3-factor increase in the likelihood of a history of sexually transmitted infection. Future studies should explore these differences in greater depth in order to develop culturally specific STI prevention efforts.
Auslander
Beth A
BA
Department of Pediatrics and Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA. baauslan@utmb.edu
Biro
Frank M
FM
Succop
Paul A
PA
Short
Mary B
MB
Rosenthal
Susan L
SL
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D001741:Black or African American; D017677:Age Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult