Ohene Sally-Ann, Ireland Marjorie, Blum Robert Wm
Center for Adolescent Health and Development, University of Minnesota, 200 Oak Street, SE, Suite 260, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Matern Child Health J. 2005 Mar;9(1):91-100. doi: 10.1007/s10995-005-2452-6.
To examine the relationships among risk behaviors for Caribbean youth; and to determine the correlations between initiation of sexual activity and other risk behaviors.
The associations between cigarette smoking, alcohol and marijuana use, early initiation of sexual intercourse, involvement in violence and delinquency were examined using odds ratios on data from the Caribbean Youth Health Survey (n = 15, 695). Survival analysis was then used to determine the association between initiation of sexual activity and the risk behaviors.
There were statistically significant relationships between all pairs of risk behaviors for both male and female adolescents. Even though more males than females had engaged in each of the behaviors, the strengths of association were higher for females. From survival analysis, initiation of sexual activity was associated with gang involvement and weapon carrying among young adolescents and even more risk behaviors among the older adolescents.
Health compromising behaviors cluster among Caribbean youth with associations being stronger for females. Initiating sexual activity was a predictor of other risk behaviors with the likelihood increasing among older adolescents and females.
研究加勒比地区青少年的风险行为之间的关系；并确定性行为开始与其他风险行为之间的相关性。
利用加勒比青少年健康调查（n = 15,695）的数据，通过比值比检验吸烟、饮酒、使用大麻、过早开始性行为、参与暴力和犯罪之间的关联。然后采用生存分析来确定性行为开始与风险行为之间的关联。
男性和女性青少年的所有风险行为对之间均存在统计学上的显著关系。尽管每种行为中男性参与者多于女性，但女性的关联强度更高。从生存分析来看，性行为开始与青少年早期参与帮派和携带武器有关，在年龄较大的青少年中甚至与更多风险行为有关。
加勒比地区青少年中存在危害健康行为的聚集现象，女性的关联更强。开始性行为是其他风险行为的一个预测因素，在年龄较大的青少年和女性中这种可能性增加。
