title: Condom use among sexually active rural high school adolescents personal, environmental, and behavioral predictors.
abstract: Adolescents who engage in unprotected intercourse are at risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI). Although adolescents in rural areas participate in levels of sexual risk taking similar to that of nonrural youth, few data are available identifying factors that influence condom use among rural adolescents. The purpose of this study is to determine the predictive value of selected personal, environmental, and behavioral factors for condom use among rural adolescents in grades 9-12. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among sexually active youth (N = 613), ages 14-19, in three rural school districts in the Northeast. Using logistic regression, identified predictors for condom use include personal standards (odds ratio [OR] = 2.45; confidence interval [CI]: [2.39, 6.47]), condom use goals (OR = 1.32; CI [1.21, 1.45]), condom use at first intercourse (OR = 3.93; CI [2.39, 6.47]) and male gender. School nurses are encouraged to incorporate identified predictors of condom use when considering interventions promoting safer sexual behaviors among rural youth.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Bradford, PA 16701, USA. tmh24@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haley
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Puskar
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Terhorst
authors.forename: Martha Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Charron-Prochownik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009511:New England; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult