TY - JOUR
T1 - Religiosity and risky sexual behavior in African-American adolescent females
AU - McCree, Donna Hubbard
AU - Wingood, Gina M.
AU - DiClemente, Ralph
AU - Davies, Susan
AU - Harrington, Katherine F.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by grant 1R01 MH54412 from the Center for Mental Health Research on AIDS, National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, Maryland (Drs. DiClemente, Wingood, and Davies, and Katherine Harrington); and an Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine/CDC STD Prevention Fellowship (Dr. McCree).
PY - 2003/7/1
Y1 - 2003/7/1
N2 - Purpose: To examine the association between religiosity (defined by frequency of engaging in religious/spiritual activities) and African-American adolescent females' sexual behaviors, attitudes toward sex, and ability to negotiate safer sex. Methods: Between December 1996 and April 1999, 1130 female adolescents were screened for eligibility in a sexually transmitted disease (STD)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention trial. Data collection was achieved through a confidential self-administered questionnaire that examined religiosity and a structured interview regarding sexual behavior. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sociodemographics of the sample and logistic regression was used to measure the association between religiosity and the outcome variables. Results: In the study sample (n = 522), 64% of the adolescents had higher religiosity scores based on a 4-item scale (α = .68). Results indicate that adolescents who had higher religiosity scores were significantly more likely to have higher self-efficacy in communicating with new, as well as steady male partners about sex; about STDs, HIV, and pregnancy prevention; and in refusing an unsafe sexual encounter. These adolescents were also more likely to have initiated sex at a later age, used a condom in the past 6 months, and possess more positive attitudes toward condom use. Conclusions: Results from this study indicate a relationship between religiosity and sexual behaviors, attitudes toward sex, and ability to negotiate safer sex.
AB - Purpose: To examine the association between religiosity (defined by frequency of engaging in religious/spiritual activities) and African-American adolescent females' sexual behaviors, attitudes toward sex, and ability to negotiate safer sex. Methods: Between December 1996 and April 1999, 1130 female adolescents were screened for eligibility in a sexually transmitted disease (STD)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention trial. Data collection was achieved through a confidential self-administered questionnaire that examined religiosity and a structured interview regarding sexual behavior. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sociodemographics of the sample and logistic regression was used to measure the association between religiosity and the outcome variables. Results: In the study sample (n = 522), 64% of the adolescents had higher religiosity scores based on a 4-item scale (α = .68). Results indicate that adolescents who had higher religiosity scores were significantly more likely to have higher self-efficacy in communicating with new, as well as steady male partners about sex; about STDs, HIV, and pregnancy prevention; and in refusing an unsafe sexual encounter. These adolescents were also more likely to have initiated sex at a later age, used a condom in the past 6 months, and possess more positive attitudes toward condom use. Conclusions: Results from this study indicate a relationship between religiosity and sexual behaviors, attitudes toward sex, and ability to negotiate safer sex.
KW - Adolescents
KW - African-American
KW - Female
KW - Protective factors
KW - Religiosity
KW - Sexual behavior
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U2 - 10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00460-3
DO - 10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00460-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 12834991
AN - SCOPUS:0038354614
VL - 33
SP - 2
EP - 8
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
SN - 1054-139X
IS - 1
ER -