title: HIV/STD risk behaviors among in-school adolescents in post-conflict Liberia.
abstract: We conducted a randomized trial to address the health needs of in-school adolescents in Liberia, where we analyzed data from a behavioral survey administered to 820 students from eight urban schools. Our findings suggest that adolescents are at significant risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): 36% of respondents were sexually experienced, 34% of those had first sex at ages 14 or younger, 66% of first sexual encounters were unprotected, and 16% were described as "forced." Also, females were more likely to have older boyfriends (Pearson's chi square = 19.2, p = .0001) and sex resulting in pregnancies (Pearson's chi square = 11.5, p = .01), while males were more likely to have a greater number of sexual partners (Pearson's chi square = 5.6, p = .05) in the previous 3 months. We recommend further research to explore challenges associated with implementing behavioral-driven studies in post-conflict environments.
authors.affiliation: Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation, Louisville Center, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Katharine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Atwood
authors.forename: Albert O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Curtis H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Mawen E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gobeh
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quaqua
authors.forename: Daisajou V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Ernree M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bee
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Warlonfa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007988:Liberia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult