The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #41067

Lynn Roberts, PhD, Urban Public Health Program, Hunter College of the City University of New York, 425 East 25th Street, Box 766, New York, NY 07666, 212-481-5110, lynn.roberts@hunter.cuny.edu and Lisa R. Fortuna, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital/Center for Child & Adolescent Health Policy, Harvard University, 50 Staniford Street, Suite 901, Boston, MA 02114.

Young women of color are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS in the United States and a growing body of literature indicates that sexual coercion in dating relationships is a problem for adolescent girls. In studies of sexually active high school students, over 40% of African American females and 60% of Latinas report not using condoms at last sexual intercourse. The findings of several studies suggest that the sexual risk taking of low-income young women of color may be determined or influenced by structural forces that are beyond their individual control (e.g., poverty, sexism and racism). We will discuss the results and implications of a study examining several concepts related to gender roles, dating patterns, sexual behaviors, experiences of discrimination and awareness of social disparities among African American and Latino/a youth. Data were collected during focus groups and classroom surveys conducted in an inner-city high school located in an AIDS epicenter.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how discrimination on the basis of gender, race and class is experienced by African American and Latino adolescent females and males.
• Understand how the discrimination urban youth of color experience may or may not be related to dating violence and HIV risk taking behaviors.
• Discuss results from focus groups and self-administered classroom surveys relating to the prevention of dating violence and the spread of HIV among African American and Latino youth.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Social Inequalities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.