There is an urgent need to address the disproportionate rates of HIV/AIDS among African Americans in the United States, particularly African American females. It has been postulated that the intersection of drug use and sexual behavior among adolescents exacerbates their risk for HIV. Using a 3 year prospective cohort study of urban African American girls, ages 14-19, in Baltimore, MD, this study proposes to examine 2 pathways from marijuana use to risk for HIV within adolescent romantic relationships. We will first test the hypothesis that girls' recent marijuana use is an independent predictor of incident STI in this population of adolescent girls. Second, we will address the disinhibition pathway by testing whether marijuana use at the time sex is associated with consistent condom use. Finally, a second pathway leading from girls' recent marijuana use to incident STI will be examined. Specifically, we will test whether partner characteristics (i.e. older age), mediate the association between girl's marijuana use and STI outcome and determine whether partner marijuana use confounds the association between girl's marijuana use and STI. An improved understanding will contribute to the development of more effective HIV prevention programs.
| Matson, Pamela Ann; Chung, Shang-en; Ellen, Jonathan Mark (2012) When they break up and get back together: length of adolescent romantic relationships and partner concurrency. Sex Transm Dis 39:281-5 |
| Matson, Pamela A; Chung, Shang-En; Sander, Petra et al. (2012) The role of feelings of intimacy on perceptions of risk for a sexually transmitted disease and condom use in the sexual relationships of adolescent African-American females. Sex Transm Infect 88:617-21 |
| Matson, Pamela A; Adler, Nancy E; Millstein, Susan G et al. (2011) Developmental changes in condom use among urban adolescent females: influence of partner context. J Adolesc Health 48:386-90 |
