TY - JOUR PY - 2014// TI - Substance use and sexual risk behaviors among American Indian and Alaska Native high school students JO - Journal of school health A1 - De Ravello, Lori A1 - Everett Jones, Sherry A1 - Tulloch, Scott A1 - Taylor, Melanie A1 - Doshi, Sonal SP - 25 EP - 32 VL - 84 IS - 1 N2 - BACKGROUND: We describe the prevalence of behaviors that put American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) high school students at risk for teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the relationships among race/ethnicity and these behaviors. METHODS: We analyzed merged 2007 and 2009 data from the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a biennial, self-administered, school-based survey of US students in grades 9-12 (N = 27,912). Prevalence estimates and logistic regression, controlling for sex and grade, were used to examine the associations between race/ethnicity, and substance use, and sexual risk behaviors. RESULTS: Of the 26 variables studied, the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were higher among AI/AN than White students for 18 variables (ranging from 1.4 to 2.3), higher among AI/AN than Black students for 13 variables (ranging from 1.4 to 4.2), and higher among AI/AN than Hispanic students for 5 variables (ranging from 1.4 to 1.5). Odds were lower among AI/AN than Black students for many of the sexual risk-related behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest it is necessary to develop targeted, adolescent-specific interventions aimed at reducing behaviors that put AI/AN high school students at risk for teen pregnancy, STI/HIV, and other health conditions.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0022-4391 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/josh.12114 ID - ref1 ER -