Differences by Sexual Minority Status in Relationship Abuse and Sexual and Reproductive Health Among Adolescent Females

• NCJ Number: 249360
• Journal: Journal of Adolescent Health Volume: 55 Issue: 5 Dated: November 2014 Pages: 652-658
• Author(s): Heather L. McCauley; Rebecca N. Dick; Daniel J. Tancredi; Jay G. Silverman; Erica Monasterio; Lisa James; Elizabeth Miller
• Date Published: November 2014
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2011-MU-MU-0023
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
• Publication Format: Article; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined adolescent relationship abuse (ARA) and related sexual and reproductive health among females who either identify as lesbian or bisexual or engage in sexual behavior with female partners (i.e., sexual minority girls [SMGs]).

Abstract

The findings suggest the need for attention to sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk among all girls, but SMGs in particular. Clinicians should be trained to assess youth for sexual contacts and sexual identity and counsel all youth on healthy relationships, consensual sex, and safer sex practices relevant to their sexual experiences. SMGs comprised 23 percent (n = 130) of the sample. Controlling for exposure to ARA, SMGs were less likely to report recent vaginal sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], .51; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], .35-.75) and more likely to report recent oral sex (AOR, 2.01; 95 percent CI, 1.38-2.92) and anal sex (AOR, 1.76; 95 percent CI, 1.26-2.46) compared with heterosexual girls. Heterosexual girls with ARA exposure (AOR, 2.85; 95 percent CI, 1.07-7.59) and SMGs without ARA exposure (AOR, 3.01; 95 percent CI, 2.01-4.50) were more likely than non-abused heterosexual girls to be seeking care for STI testing or treatment than heterosexual girls without recent victimization. Baseline data were collected from 564 sexually active girls ages 14-19 years seeking care at eight California school-based health centers participating in a randomized controlled trial. Associations between ARA, sexual minority status and study outcomes (vaginal, oral, and anal sex, number and age of sex partners, contraceptive nonuse, reproductive coercion, sexually transmitted infection [STI] and pregnancy testing) were assessed via logistic regression models for clustered survey data. (Publisher abstract modified)