278597
Non-sexual violence and connectedness in adolescence: What are the implications for STD/HIV infection in young adulthood?
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
: 11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Riley J. Steiner, MPH,
Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Lisa C. Barrios, DrPH, ScM,
Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Leah Robin, PhD,
Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Background: Violence in childhood is associated with later sexual risk behaviors and HIV infection. Conversely, connectedness, or emotional attachment and commitment to social relationships, is protective for several adolescent sexual risk behaviors. Few analyses, however, examine the association between violence or connectedness and sexual health longitudinally. Even fewer consider non-sexual violence as a predictor or STD infection as the outcome. Finally, no research examines how connectedness might moderate the association between violence and STD/HIV. Methods: Data from Waves I (grades 7-12) and IV (ages 24-32) (n=14,800) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were used. Multivariate logistic regressions examined the longitudinal association between (a) non-sexual violence victimization and perpetration and subsequent self-reported STD/HIV and (b) parent-family, school and community connectedness and subsequent self-reported STD/HIV. Interactions between violence involvement and each connectedness construct were tested in an additional model. Results: Controlling for biological sex, race/ethnicity, age, parent's education, and parent's marital status, violence victimization and perpetration were associated with an increased risk of STD/HIV (AOR=1.27, 95% CI=1.07-1.52 and AOR=1.22, 95% CI=1.05-1.41, respectively). Parent-family and school connectedness were associated with a decreased risk of STD/HIV (AOR=0.96, 95% CI=0.95-0.98 and AOR=0.97, 95% CI=0.95-0.997, respectively). Connectedness did not moderate the association between violence and STD/HIV. Conclusions: These findings suggest that non-sexual violence victimization and perpetration in adolescence are risk factors for STD/HIV infection in adulthood. Given that parent-family and school connectedness appear to directly reduce the likelihood of later STD/HIV, research should explore the role of connectedness in STD/HIV prevention.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Describe the longitudinal associations between non-sexual violence victimization and perpetration and STD/HIV infection among a nationally representative sample in the U.S.
Describe the longitudinal associations between family, school and community connectedness and STD/HIV infection among a nationally representative sample in the U.S.
Describe the moderating effects of connectedness on the associations between non-sexual violence victimization and perpetration and STD/HIV infection among a nationally representative sample in the U.S.
Keyword(s): STD, Violence
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been working at the intersection between HIV and reproductive health for the past five years and am currently a public health analyst at CDC focused on youth HIV/STD prevention and sexual health. My research interests include understanding the association between violence and HIV/STD infection and more recently, I have begun to explore the role of protective factors in promoting positive sexual health outcomes.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
