Discounted Start Safe, Stay Safe

Start Safe, Stay Safe

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First sexual experiences may lay the groundwork for a habit of sexual safety or risk. Establishing a habit of sexual safety is particularly important in light of the impact of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unwanted pregnancies on American adolescents and young adults. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study proposed and tested a model that examined 8,296 adolescents' first sexual experiences and the impact on subsequent sexual behaviors and experiences. Factors adapted from the Theory of Planned Behavior including attitude toward birth control, perceived behavioral control, and subjective parental strictness were included. Factors also examined included race, gender, age, socio-economic status, religiosity, intelligence, perceived risk, depressive symptoms, sexual health knowledge, and alcohol use. First, logistic regression was used to predict factors associated with sexual debut. Next, multinomial logistic regression was used to predict factors associated with condom use at sexual debut. Multinomial logistic regression was then used to examine how sexual debut experiences were linked to condom use consistency and other, non-condom birth control consistency behaviors measured at five to seven year follow-up. Finally, additional follow-up experiences were assessed; the Heckman selection method was used to predict unprotected sex over the past year, logistic regression was used to examine HIV and STI testing over the past year, and multinomial logistic regression was used to examine lifetime experience with unwanted pregnancies. It was hypothesized that condom use at sexual debut would predict condom use consistency, which in turn would predict fewer risky behaviors at follow-up. Evidence partially supported the hypothesis, as condom use at sexual debut had a significant direct effect on both condom use consistency and non-condom birth control consistency at follow-up. The effects were

Start Safe, Stay Safe