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. 2014 Jan;84(1):25-32.
doi: 10.1111/josh.12114.

Substance use and sexual risk behaviors among american Indian and alaska native high school students

Lori de Ravello  1 , Sherry Everett Jones, Scott Tulloch, Melanie Taylor, Sonal Doshi
Affiliations

Substance use and sexual risk behaviors among american Indian and alaska native high school students

Lori de Ravello et al. J Sch Health. 2014 Jan.

Abstract

Background: We describe the prevalence of behaviors that put American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) high school students at risk for teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the relationships among race/ethnicity and these behaviors.

Methods: We analyzed merged 2007 and 2009 data from the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a biennial, self-administered, school-based survey of US students in grades 9-12 (N = 27,912). Prevalence estimates and logistic regression, controlling for sex and grade, were used to examine the associations between race/ethnicity, and substance use, and sexual risk behaviors.

Results: Of the 26 variables studied, the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were higher among AI/AN than White students for 18 variables (ranging from 1.4 to 2.3), higher among AI/AN than Black students for 13 variables (ranging from 1.4 to 4.2), and higher among AI/AN than Hispanic students for 5 variables (ranging from 1.4 to 1.5). Odds were lower among AI/AN than Black students for many of the sexual risk-related behaviors.

Conclusions: The data suggest it is necessary to develop targeted, adolescent-specific interventions aimed at reducing behaviors that put AI/AN high school students at risk for teen pregnancy, STI/HIV, and other health conditions.

Keywords: American Indian/Alaska Native; Indians; Native American; North America; Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System; sexual behavior; substance use.

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