Multiple sexual-partner behavior among sexually active US adolescent girls.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship of multiple sexual-partners to other risk behaviors among adolescent girls.

METHODS

Ninth- through 12th-grade sexually active girls (N=3288) who completed the 1999 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey were participants. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine all significant independent relationships.

RESULTS

Having one recent sexual-partner was associated with lack of condom use and being in 12th grade whereas having 2 or more partners was associated with fighting, cigarette use, binge drinking, and African American ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

A small but important subset of adolescent girls report having recent multiple sexual-partners. These girls are more likely to report other problem-prone health behaviors.