Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2011 Mar;48(3):303-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.07.005.

Sexual risk behaviors among teens at an urban emergency department: relationship with violent behaviors and substance use

Maureen A Walton  1 , Stella Resko, Lauren Whiteside, Stephen T Chermack, Marc Zimmerman, Rebecca M Cunningham
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Sexual risk behaviors among teens at an urban emergency department: relationship with violent behaviors and substance use

Maureen A Walton et al. J Adolesc Health. 2011 Mar.

Abstract

Purpose: Data regarding sexual risk behaviors among adolescent patients presenting to urban emergency departments (EDs) are lacking. This article describes rates and correlates of sexual risk behaviors among adolescents screened in an urban ED.

Methods: During a period of 1-year, a total of 1,576 patients aged 14-18 years, self-administered a computerized survey (57.6% female, 59.3% African American).

Results: Among sexually active adolescents (60%), 12% reported four or more partners; of those, 45.3% reported using a condom all the time and 14.7% reported using substances before sex. Regression analyses examined correlates of sexual risk behaviors on the basis of demographics, violence, and substance use. Males and younger teens were more likely to report condom use than females and older teens. Participants with poor grades were more likely to have had sex and used substances before sex, and were less likely to report condom use. Participants reporting dating violence were more likely to have had sex and less likely to have used condoms, whereas participants reporting peer violence and weapon carriage were more likely to report substance use before sex. Binge drinking and marijuana use were associated with all sex risk behaviors.

Conclusions: The visit to an urban ED may provide an opportunity to deliver interventions to address sexual risk behaviors among adolescents.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. DiClemente RJ, Crittenden CP, Rose E, et al. Psychosocial predictors of HIV-associated sexual behaviors and the efficacy of prevention interventions in adolescents at-risk for HIV infection: what works and what doesn’t work? Psychosom Med. 2008 Jun;70(5):598–605. - PubMed
    1. Sieving RE, Beuhring T, Resnick MD, et al. Development of adolescent self-report measures from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. J Adolesc Health. 2001 Jan;28(1):73–81. - PubMed
    1. Brener ND, Kann L, McManus T, et al. Reliability of the 1999 youth risk behavior survey questionnaire. J Adolesc Health. 2002 Oct;31(4):336–342. - PubMed
    1. Johnston LD, O’Malley PM, Bachman JG, et al. Secondary school students. Vol. 1. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse; 2007. Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975–2006. Report No.: NIH Publication No. 07-6205.
    1. Knight JR, Goodman E, Pulerwitz T, et al. Reliability of the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) in adolescent medical practice. J Adolesc Health. 2001 Aug;29(2):125–130. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms