Citation

Stidham-Hall K, Moreau C, Trussell J. J. Adolesc. Health 2012; 50(4): 410-413.

Affiliation

Office of Population Research, Center for Health and Wellbeing, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.06.007

PMID

22443847

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate patterns and correlates of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) communication among adolescent women in the United States between 2002 and 2008. METHODS: We used data with regard to adolescent women (aged 15-19 years) from the National Survey of Family Growth (between 2002 and 2006-2008, n = 2,326). Multivariate analyses focused on sociodemographic characteristics and SRH communication from parental and formal sources. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of adolescent women had received parental communication on abstinence (60%), contraception (56%), sexually transmitted infections (53%), and condoms (29%); 9% received abstinence-only communication. Formal communication (92%) included abstinence (87%) and contraceptive (71%) information; 66% received both, whereas 21% received abstinence-only. Between 2002 and 2006-2008, parental (not formal) communication increased (7%, p < .001), including the abstinence communication (4%, p = .03). Age, sexual experience, education, mother's education, and poverty were positively associated with SRH communication. CONCLUSIONS: Between 2002 and 2008, receipt of parental SRH communication, especially abstinence, was increasingly common among United States adolescents. Strategies to promote comprehensive communication may improve adolescents' SRH outcomes.

Language: en