title: Exploring sexual risk taking among American Indian adolescents through protection motivation theory.
abstract: This paper examines decision-making around sexual behavior among reservation-based American Indian youth. Focus group discussions were conducted with youth ages 13-19 years old. Through these discussions, we explored youth's knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to sexual risk taking through the lens of the protection motivation theory to inform the adaptation of an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention. Findings suggest that condom use self-efficacy and HIV prevention knowledge is low, vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections is lacking and alcohol plays a significant role in sexual risk taking in this population. In addition, parental monitoring and peer influence may contribute to or protect against sexual risk taking. Results suggest that future HIV prevention interventions should be delivered to gender-specific peer groups, include a parental component, teach sexual health education and communication skills, integrate substance-use prevention, and work to remove stigma around obtaining and using condoms.
authors.affiliation: a Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.affiliation: a Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tingey
authors.affiliation: a Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mullany
authors.affiliation: a Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: a Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Angelita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barlow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010379:Peer Group; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: American Indian; HIV/AIDS prevention; adolescents/youth; focus groups; risk behaviors