Neighborhood Condition and Geographic Locale in Assessing HIV/STI Risk Among African American Adolescents

AIDS Behav. 2015 Jun;19(6):1005-13. doi: 10.1007/s10461-014-0868-y.

Abstract

Although region and neighborhood condition's effect on HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk has been studied separately, there is little research examining their interplay. African American adolescents (n = 1,602) from four matched cities in the Northeastern and Southeastern US completed Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interviews and submitted biospecimen samples to detect Sexually Transmitted Infections (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas). Logistic and negative binomial regressions determined HIV/STI risk differences by region, neighborhood stress, and stress-region dyads. Northeastern participants demonstrated lower HIV/STI risk while participants from higher stress neighborhoods exhibited greater risk. Relationships between neighborhood condition and ever having anal sex (p < 0.01), anal condom use (p < 0.05), and number of anal partners (p < 0.05) were significant in the Northeast only. Participants in unstressed Northeastern neighborhoods were less likely to have vaginal sex than those in comparable Southeastern neighborhoods (p < 0.05). Participants in unfavorable Northeastern neighborhoods had fewer anal partners than participants in comparable Southeastern neighborhoods (p < 0.01). In concert, neighborhood and region differentially affect HIV/STI risk.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Black or African American / statistics & numerical data*
  • Condoms / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis
  • HIV Infections / ethnology*
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Residence Characteristics*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk-Taking
  • Safe Sex / ethnology
  • Safe Sex / statistics & numerical data
  • Sexual Behavior / ethnology*
  • Sexual Partners*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / diagnosis
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / ethnology*
  • Social Class
  • Social Environment*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States / epidemiology