Online Program

295145
Examining the relative influences of social capital on adolescent sexual behaviors


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Drew A. Westmoreland, MSPH, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Melinda Forthofer, PhD, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
James W. Hardin, PhD, Department of Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Teri Browne, PhD, MSW, NSW-C, College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Background: Adolescents bear a disproportionate burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Innovative solutions for promoting safe sexual health behaviors are needed to help reduce the rates of sexually transmitted diseases in this population. Research has suggested that adolescents are influenced by peers and by the behaviors of those peers. This study considers the extent to which adolescent friendship networks may be viewed as sources of social capital that influence adolescent sexual intercourse.

Methods: Secondary data analysis was conducted using nominated friendship data from Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Wave I data were used to create indices of bonding and bridging social capital, within the immediate and broader peer groups, respectively. The outcome, sexual initiation, was assessed at Wave II. Logistic regression was conducted to determine the relative effects of the social capital indices on the likelihood of adolescent sexual initiation. Additionally, sensitivity and SIMEX analyses were used to address the effects of data limitations on the measures of association for bonding social capital and adolescent sexual initiation.

Results: The findings suggest positive associations between both bonding and bridging social capital and adolescent sexual initiation with a slightly stronger association for bridging social capital compared to bonding social capital.

Discussion: This study helps to illustrate the differential effects of bonding and bridging social capital on adolescent sexual behaviors, and indicate the potential for targeted interventions at these different sources of social capital to help reduce the burden of STIs among adolescents.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Epidemiology
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the differential effects of bonding and bridging social capital on adolescent sexual behaviors.

Keyword(s): Adolescent Health, Sexual Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: This study is one specific aim from my MSPH thesis developed in collaboration with the co-authors. During my studies, I gained experience in sexual health behaviors research and social epidemiology through multiple graduate assistantships and workshop opportunities. Additionally, I have a specific interest in the role social and sexual networks play in disease transmission, and the potential for targeted prevention, and intervention, strategies based on a better understanding of social influences.
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.