Nebbitt Von Eugene, Lombe Margaret, Sanders-Phillips Kathy, Stokes Charu
Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607-7134, USA.
J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2010 Nov;21(4):1263-77. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2010.0936.
Research has found the early onset of sexual activity (having sexual intercourse before age 13) among adolescents to be related to teen pregnancy and a range of health-risk behaviors and higher rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS. These findings are most prevalent in urban African American adolescents. Using a sample of 299 sexually active African American adolescents living in public housing developments in a large Northeast and a large Mid-Atlantic city, this study assesses the influence of family, peers, and the individual on the age of onset of sexual intercourse. All participants completed surveys in their housing developments. Results indicate an average age of onset of 14. Males reported a significantly younger age of onset and more sexual partners than females. Exposure to delinquent peers and self-efficacy were significant predictors of age of onset. Implications for practice are discussed.
研究发现，青少年过早开始性行为（13岁之前发生性行为）与少女怀孕、一系列健康风险行为以及较高的性传播感染（STIs）和艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染率有关。这些发现在城市非裔美国青少年中最为普遍。本研究以居住在东北部一个大城市和大西洋中部一个大城市公共住房开发区的299名有性行为的非裔美国青少年为样本，评估家庭、同伴和个人对性行为开始年龄的影响。所有参与者都在其居住的开发区完成了调查。结果显示性行为开始的平均年龄为14岁。男性报告的开始年龄明显低于女性，且性伴侣更多。接触不良同伴和自我效能感是开始年龄的重要预测因素。文中还讨论了该研究结果对实际工作的启示。
