title: Trajectories of HIV risk behavior from age 15 to 25 in the national longitudinal survey of youth sample.
abstract: This study utilized data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to investigate youth risk trajectories for HIV and factors associated with different trajectories. The sample (N = 8,208) was 49.2% female, with a mean age of 14.31 (SD = 1.48). A group-based trajectory model was applied, which identified four distinct trajectories for both males and females: (1) consistently higher sexual risk levels, increasing to early adulthood followed by some decrease ("high"); (2) a short period of increase to late teens, followed by a longer period of decrease ("decreased"); (3) an initially slow increase, with the increase accelerating by late teens, and a slight decline beginning in early adulthood ("increased"); and (4) consistently lowest levels of sexual risk ("low"). More African Americans were found among the decreased trajectory group; among the low risk group a higher number of youth came from families with parents who spoke a language other than English. The high-risk group had a higher percentage of subjects in non-metropolitan areas and highest alcohol use. Among males, being employed and being in the military were associated with inclusion in the high-risk group. Results have implications for specializing prevention strategies for youth with different patterns of sexual risk.
authors: Health Risk Reduction Projects, Department of Psychiatry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90025-7539, USA. dmurphy@mednet.ucla.edu
authors: Debra A
authors: DA
authors: Murphy
authors: Mary-Lynn
authors: ML
authors: Brecht
authors: Diane M
authors: DM
authors: Herbeck
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult