The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49490

Samira Soleimanpour, MPH¹, Virginia McCarter, PhD¹, Helen Cagampang, PhD¹, Claire Brindis, DrPH¹, and Kathryn Shack, PhD². (1) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94143-0936, 415-476-8621, samira@itsa.ucsf.edu, (2) Office of Community Challenge Grants, California Department of Health Services, 714 P Street, Room 576, Sacramento, CA 95814

In 1999, the California Department of Health Services funded 134 agencies to conduct programs intended to reduce teenage pregnancy and promote responsible parenting. Twenty-five projects provided services for parents of adolescents at-risk of early childbearing. A sample of 1018 parents (71% female) completed surveys measuring their attitudes on sex education, teen sexual behavior and parent/child communication regarding sex. At baseline, attitudes differed between parents of males and females. Preliminary analyses show that parents’ responses varied when asked whether their children should abstain from sex until marriage (74% parents of females versus 59% parents of males answered “yes”). Parents of females showed more conservative views when asked if they felt having sex before marriage was not acceptable (65% parents of females versus 55% parents of males). Parents of males were more likely to report that it was wrong for parents to talk about sex with their children. Further variations were found within ethnic groups. Latino parents were less likely to have talked to their sons about sex, while Asian/Pacific Islander parents were less likely to have had these discussions with their daughters. After program participation, parents’ communication about sex with their male children increased more than discussions with their daughters in all ethnic groups, except Asian/Pacific Islanders. Findings from this study suggest that parental attitudes regarding sex education and sexual behavior vary based on their children’s gender and family’s ethnicity. These differences may contribute to the variations observed in teens' attitudes toward sexuality, and thus may impact teen pregnancy rates.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify several areas where children’s gender affects parents’ attitudes towards sex education and sexual behavior of their adolescents.
• Identify differences among ethnic groups in parents’ attitudes toward sexual behavior based on the gender of their children.

Keywords: Family Involvement, Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: California Department of Health Services: Office of Community Challenge Grants and select agencies (none of whom will be individually identified).
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Evaluation Researcher