title: All Military Adolescents Are Not the Same: Sexuality and Substance Use among Adolescents in the U.S. Military Healthcare System.
abstract: Data examining sexuality and substance use among active duty and military-dependent youth is limited; however, these psychosocial factors have military implications. Adolescents and young adults aged 12-23 were recruited from an active-duty trainee clinic (n = 225) and a military pediatric clinic (n = 223). Active duty participants were more likely to be older, male, White, previous tobacco users, and report a history of sexual activity and less contraception use at their most recent intercourse, compared to the dependent group. Over 10% of all participants indicated attraction to members of the same gender or both genders. In logistic regression analysis, non-White participants were less likely to use contraception compared to White participants. Adolescents and young adults seen in military clinics frequently engage in high-risk behavior. Clinicians who care for military youth should assess their patient's psychosocial history. Further study of this population is warranted to identify factors that may influence risk and resilience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, VA, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America.
authors.forename: William P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Adelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, United States of America.
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Clinical Investigations, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, VA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Shoemaker
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Investigation and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen-Gunther
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003267:Contraception / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult