Sexual Risk Taking Behaviors Among African American Adolescent Mothers: An Ecological Perspective
Young African American women of childbearing age are at high risk for Human Immunodeficency Virus (HIV) exposure and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Using an ecological perspective, this study examined the influence of several individual, familial, and neighborhood factors on the sexual risk behaviors of 137 African American adolescent mothers. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed the complex pattern of interrelated factors associated with sexual risk behavior. More specifically, gaps in AIDS knowledge, as well as high levels of depression and stress were associated with engagement in risky sexual behavior. Additionally, relative isolation paired with economic strain and residence in urban neighborhoods marked by racial homogeneity and limited education were also associated with risky sexual behavior. Conversely, residence in neighborhoods marked by limited resources paired with high levels of maternal support was associated with lower levels of sexual risk-taking behavior. These findings when taken together highlight the importance of an ecological approach in understanding risky sexual behavior among African American adolescent mothers. Implications for AIDS related intervention and prevention programs are also discussed.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign