The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45447

Astou Coly, MPH¹, Donald Morisky, ScD², Alfonso Ang, PhD², and Tsai Tzui, MPH². (1) Epidemiology, University of California at Los Angeles School of Public Health, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, 310-825-85-8, astou@ucla.edu, (2) Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles E. Young Drive South, CHS 26-070, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772

An adolescent’s family structure has been shown to affect his/her overall well-being. The literature reports that divorce, single-parenting and parental absence, especially father’s can be detrimental to adolescent’s development. However, little research has been conducted on the impact of family structure among minority populations. The present study investigates the relationship between family structure and completion of care among ethnically diverse adolescents being treated for latent tuberculosis infection in Los Angeles County. Data collected on 794 adolescents (78% Latino, 9% Asian, 8% African-American) identified several factors related to family structure which were found to be associated with completion of care. Adolescents living with single parents (OR=.47; 95% CI=.30-.73), one biological parent and one step parent (OR=.51; .28-.92) or other relative (OR=.32; 95% CI=.19-.54) were less than half as likely to complete therapy as adolescent living with both parents. Furthermore, adolescent were one and a half times more likely to complete therapy when their parents were in charge of remembering to take their medicine compared to themselves remembering to take their medicine (OR=1.56; 95%CI=1.03-2.36). In addition, adolescent who did not live with both parents were significantly more likely to have been sexually active (p<.0001) and to have been arrested (p=.025) than adolescents who lived with both parents. The findings of this study provide supportive evidence of the importance of family on preventing adolescent’s risk behaviors. Programs aimed at increasing completion of care rates and positive behaviors among adolescents should involve the adolescent’s family.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the participant will be able to
• List ways in which family members can promote positive health behaviors among adolescents;
• List family structure factors that affect completion of care among adolescents;
• List lifestyle factors associated with family structure.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Treatment Adherence

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.