title: Exchange of Sex for Drugs or Money in Adolescents and Young Adults: An Examination of Sociodemographic Factors, HIV-Related Risk, and Community Context.
abstract: The goal of this research was to examine associations among sociodemographic factors, HIV risk, and community context (e.g., economic insecurity, job training, housing instability, crime victimization, and perceived community norms) in adolescents and young adults who ever exchanged sex for drugs or money. Anonymous survey data were collected using ACASIs at community venues where adolescents and young adults congregate in resource-challenged, STI prevalent, urban, US neighborhoods. Conventional descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact tests, and generalized estimating equations approaches were used to examine associations. Participants (1818, 95.5 % of those screened eligible) were, on average, aged 21.0 years; 42.2 % were males, and 4.6 % were transgender. Almost one-third (32.1 %) identified as gay or lesbian, 18.1 % identified as bisexual; 66.2 % were Black and 21.0 % were Hispanic; 1.3 % was 'living on the street'. A sizeable proportion reported HIV-related risk: 16.3 % exchanged sex, 12.6 % had sex with someone they knew to be HIV-infected, 7.8 % had sex with someone who injected drugs, and 1.3 % injected drugs. Multivariate comparisons identified a number of variables (e.g., being male or transgender, homelessness, sex with a partner who has HIV, STI history, unemployment, job training access, housing instability, crime victimization, perceived community norms) that were significantly associated with exchange of sex (p < 0.05). This research contributes to the knowledge-base regarding exchange of sex among adolescents and young adults, particularly as it relates to community context. Longitudinal studies to describe the trajectory of social, health, and physical risks and consequences are needed for development of effective evidence-based prevention strategies.
authors: Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 245, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA. Cherrie.Boyer@ucsf.edu.
authors: Cherrie B
authors: CB
authors: Boyer
authors: Westat, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors: Lauren
authors: L
authors: Greenberg
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Chutuape
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Bendu
authors: B
authors: Walker
authors: Westat, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors: Dina
authors: D
authors: Monte
authors: Westat, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Kirk
authors: All Children's Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine, St. Petersburg, FL, USA.
authors: Jonathan M
authors: JM
authors: Ellen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D064423:Drug Trafficking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents and young adults; Community context; Exchange of sex; STI/HIV risk