Individual, interpersonal, and relationship factors predicting hormonal and condom use consistency among adolescent girls.
BACKGROUND
Few existing studies have considered influences of adolescents' sexual partners on contraceptive consistency. This study examines the influence of personal characteristics, partner characteristics, and relationship factors on consistency of contraceptive use among an ethnically diverse sample of adolescent girls at high risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.


METHODS
Data are from 110 sexually active 13- to 17-year-old girls participating in a clinic-based intervention study aimed at reducing sexual risk behaviors. Personal characteristics were assessed at baseline (T1), and partner and relationship characteristics were assessed at 12 months (T2).


RESULTS
Multivariate analyses revealed that T2 hormonal contraceptive consistency was predicted by T1 hormonal consistency, girls' desire to use birth control, having the same sexual partner at T1 and T2, perceived partner support for birth control, and communication with partner about sexual risk. T2 condom use consistency was negatively predicted by emergency contraceptive use history and perceived partner support for birth control.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings underscore the importance of nurses addressing both personal and relationship factors in their efforts to promote consistent contraceptive use among sexually active adolescent girls.
Kenyon
DenYelle Baete
DB
Health Disparities Research Center, Sanford Research/University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA. kenyond@sanfordhealth.org
Sieving
Renee E
RE
Jerstad
Sarah J
SJ
Pettingell
Sandra L
SL
Skay
Carol L
CL
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012747:Sexual Partners
D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal