The proposed study examines the social, psychological and environmental correlates of AIDS-related sexual risk-taking of newly incarcerated African-American adolescent males. Six hundred African-American adolescent males, recently arrested or similarly referred by a judge to the family court system in Birmingham, AL, will be interviewed on their first or second day in detention. The research interview will be guided by Social Cognitive Theory. The constructs to be measured are based on the triad of the person, behavior and environment. Outcomes to be measured include both self-report and biological markers. Self-reported outcomes measures include sexual risk behavior as defined by the following constructs: number of sexual partners (controlling for age), number of same sex partners, unprotected sexual intercourse, and history of sexually transmitted disease. Further, urine specimens will be collected and analyzed using newly developed antibody amplification tests (ligase chain reaction) for two of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) chlamydia and gonorrhea. In addition to adolescents' self-reported sexual risk behavior and objective assessment of STD status, part of their uring specimen will be analyzed for drug metabolites. Prevalence of drug metabolites in the urine will indicate current drug use, a hypothesized interventing factor which may be associated with increased sexual risk behavior and STD seropositivity. Statistical analyses, utilizing structural equation modeling and logistic regression analysis, will identify the significance and magnitude of the association between psychological, social and environmental determinants of sexual behavior and STD seropositivity.
The specific aims of the proposed study are: (1) to examine the social, psychological and environmental correlates of AIDS-related sexual risk-taking of newly incarcerated African-American adolescent males; (2) to determine the prevalence of STDs and drug use among newly incarcerated African-American adolescent males; (3) to develop an explanatory model of AIDS-related sexual behavior and STD serostatus using adolescents' self-report and objective, quantifiable biological markers for STD.
| Lanier, Mark M; Pack, Robert P; Akers, Timothy A (2010) Epidemiological criminology: drug use among African American gang members. J Correct Health Care 16:6-16 |
| Pack, R P; Diclemente, R J; Hook 3rd, E W et al. (2000) High prevalence of asymptomatic STDs in incarcerated minority male youth: a case for screening. Sex Transm Dis 27:175-7 |
