Behavioral risk in early adolescents with HIV+ mothers

J Adolesc Health. 2005 Apr;36(4):342-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.02.038.

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the effect of maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on sexual and drug use risk behavior, delinquency, and general behavior problems in early adolescents.

Methods: Baseline data from an ongoing longitudinal study are presented. Participants are 220 HIV-negative early adolescents (aged 10-14 years), 100 with HIV-infected mothers, and 120 with uninfected mothers from ethnic minority, low income, families living in inner-city communities. For two group comparisons, Chi-square and Student's t-tests were used. Multiple and Logistic regressions were conducted to control for age and examine multiple predictors simultaneously.

Results: Few early adolescents, particularly those younger than 13 years, reported penetrative sexual behavior (oral, anal, or vaginal sex, 7%) or drug use (12%). Nonpenetrative sexual behaviors (kissing, 35%), alcohol use (39%), and engaging in at least one delinquent activity (45% of boys, 26% of girls) were more common. By age 14 years, 21% of the youths reported penetrative sexual behavior and 72% reported alcohol use. Penetrative sexual behavior was significantly associated with delinquent behavior and substance use. There were no differences in risk behaviors between youth with and without HIV-infected mothers. However, among youth with HIV+ mothers, those who knew their mother's status had more thought problems (p = .042) and reported more frequent alcohol use (p = .018) than those youth who didn't know.

Conclusions: Maternal HIV status did not significantly add to the risk for problem behaviors in our sample of urban ethnic minority early adolescents. Fourteen years of age appeared to be a critical time for increased experimenting with sexual behavior and substance use.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior*
  • Child
  • Female
  • HIV Infections*
  • Humans
  • Juvenile Delinquency
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Minority Groups
  • Mother-Child Relations*
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk-Taking*
  • Sexual Behavior
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Urban Population