TY - JOUR
T1 - "Islands of risk"
T2 - Subgroups of adolescents at risk for HIV
AU - Houck, Christopher D.
AU - Lescano, Celia M.
AU - Brown, Larry K.
AU - Tolou-Shams, Marina
AU - Thompson, Jonathon
AU - DiClemente, Ralph
AU - Fernandez, M. Isabel
AU - Pugatch, David
AU - Schlenger, William E.
AU - Silver, Barbara J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Research supported by SAMHSA grant U10 SMS2073 to the cooperating sites: Rhode Island Hospital, Miriam Hospital, Emory University, and University of Miami
PY - 2006/7
Y1 - 2006/7
N2 - Objective: To use cluster analysis to determine profiles of adolescents at risk for HIV. Methods: Adolescents 15-21 years old (N = 1153) with a history of unprotected sex were assessed in five domains of risk (unprotected sex, alcohol/marijuana use, other drug use, mental health crises, and arrest/school dropout) as well as demographic, contextual, and behavioral variables. Results: Cluster analysis revealed separate three-cluster solutions for males and females. Among males, clusters were characterized by (a) mental health crises and unprotected sex, (b) alcohol/marijuana use and unprotected sex, and (c) lower risk. Among females, clusters were distinguished by (a) unprotected sex, (b) substance use and mental health crises, and (c) lower risk. Cluster membership was associated with secondary variables related to sexual risk. Conclusions: Even within populations of high-risk adolescents, subgroups exist for which specific risk factors co-occur, particularly unprotected sex, mental health crises, and substance use. These patterns suggest that effective HIV prevention interventions may need to target the association between mental health and/or substance abuse with sexual risk for some adolescents.
AB - Objective: To use cluster analysis to determine profiles of adolescents at risk for HIV. Methods: Adolescents 15-21 years old (N = 1153) with a history of unprotected sex were assessed in five domains of risk (unprotected sex, alcohol/marijuana use, other drug use, mental health crises, and arrest/school dropout) as well as demographic, contextual, and behavioral variables. Results: Cluster analysis revealed separate three-cluster solutions for males and females. Among males, clusters were characterized by (a) mental health crises and unprotected sex, (b) alcohol/marijuana use and unprotected sex, and (c) lower risk. Among females, clusters were distinguished by (a) unprotected sex, (b) substance use and mental health crises, and (c) lower risk. Cluster membership was associated with secondary variables related to sexual risk. Conclusions: Even within populations of high-risk adolescents, subgroups exist for which specific risk factors co-occur, particularly unprotected sex, mental health crises, and substance use. These patterns suggest that effective HIV prevention interventions may need to target the association between mental health and/or substance abuse with sexual risk for some adolescents.
KW - Adolescents
KW - HIV
KW - Sexual risk
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U2 - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsj067
DO - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsj067
M3 - Article
C2 - 16120764
AN - SCOPUS:33745684689
SN - 0146-8693
VL - 31
SP - 619
EP - 629
JO - Journal of pediatric psychology
JF - Journal of pediatric psychology
IS - 6
ER -