The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #58474

Sarah C Wyckoff, MPH¹, Kim S Miller, PhD¹, Rex Forehand, PhD², Lisa Armistead, PhD³, Beth A Kotchick, PhD⁴, and Nicholas Long, PhD⁵. (1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404-639-2010, swyckoff@cdc.gov, (2) University of Vermont, Psychology Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, (3) Psychology Department, Georgia State University, 33 Gilmer Street SE Unit 2, MSC 2A1155, Atlanta, GA 30303, (4) Institute for Behavioral Research, University of Georgia, 111 Barrow Hall, Athens, GA 30602, (5) University of Arkansas for Medical Services/Arkansas Children's Hospital, 800 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72202

Background: Youth need to receive HIV risk reduction information and skills prior to making decisions on sexual initiation. Parents are in a unique position to provide early and continuous prevention messages to youth. Methods: Baseline data regarding sexuality/sexual risk reduction communication were collected from a multi-site community based research intervention trial of 699 African American parents and their preteens ages 9-12 years. Results: Eighty-nine percent of parents felt it is their job to teach their child about sexuality/sexual risk reduction and 68% of preteens said they would go to their parents first if they had a question about sexuality/sexual risk reduction. However, only 39% of parents felt they are doing a good job communicating, and only 37% had ever sought or received information to help them understand or teach their child about sexuality/sexual risk reduction. Given that 22% of preteens indicated they are already thinking about sex and 7% reported intention to engage in sexual intercourse in the next year, parents need the information and skills to communicate about sexuality/sexual risk reduction with their preteens. Conclusions: An overwhelming majority of African American parents think it is their job to talk to their children about sexuality/sexual risk reduction. Additionally, their preteens are ready to listen and many are in immediate need of sexuality risk reduction information. Public health professionals need to address the dearth of HIV risk reduction programs targeting parents of preteens and deliver the necessary information and skills to an important group of educators--parents!

Learning Objectives:

• Session participants will be able to describe the importance of providing targeted HIV risk reduction interventions to parents of 9-12 year olds.

Keywords: Youth, HIV/AIDS

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.