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Ngo-Thi TT, Huynh VS, Dang-Thi NT, Nguyen-Duong BT, Vu-Nguyen TT, Nantachai G, Nguyen Trong N, Tran-Chi VL. Mediation Effects of Premarital Sexual Permissiveness on the Relationship Between Expectations for Marriage and Marital Intention of Vietnamese Undergraduate Students. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2022; 15:3513-3530. [PMID: 36505671 PMCID: PMC9733628 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s387789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect effects of expectations for marital relationships and premarital sexual permissiveness on intent to marry of Vietnamese emerging adults. Patients and Methods Our cross-sectional study was focused on emerging adults including 344 participants, undergraduate students from universities in Viet Nam. This study was assessed by using the PLS-SEM approach. Results The main findings demonstrated that (i) sexual orientation have a significant effect on marital intention; (ii) individuals' expectations for marital relationship have a direct effect on marital intention; and (iii) premarital sexuality permissiveness mediates the relationship between expectations for marital relationship and marital intention. Conclusion Our results contribute important documents and clearer understanding of emerging adults' expectations and requirements in a relationship for the marriage decision-making process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuy-Trinh Ngo-Thi
- Faculty of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Van-Son Huynh
- Faculty of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Nhu-Thuyen Dang-Thi
- Faculty of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Bao-Tran Nguyen-Duong
- Faculty of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Thuy-Tien Vu-Nguyen
- Faculty of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Gallayaporn Nantachai
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nguyen Nguyen Trong
- Faculty of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam,Correspondence: Nguyen Nguyen Trong, Faculty of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam, Tel/Fax +84 387 149 100, Email
| | - Vinh-Long Tran-Chi
- Faculty of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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Sadeghi R, Agadjanian V. Challenging the stigma of premarital sex in urban Afghanistan. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2022; 24:1181-1198. [PMID: 34288835 PMCID: PMC10460212 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2021.1936185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Premarital sex is normatively unacceptable in Afghanistan, yet rapid social and cultural transformation in the country may be changing these traditional norms. In dialogue with cross-national scholarship, we examine attitudes toward premarital sex and experience of premarital sexual behaviours among urban Afghan youth. We use data from 1256 never married individuals aged 15-29 surveyed in ten Afghan cities. The results show that respondents, on average, have moderately liberal attitudes toward premarital sex and that almost one quarter of them had engaged in either sexual foreplay or penetrative intercourse. Multivariable results indicate that premarital sexual attitudes and behaviours were significantly associated with several individual-level characteristics, family and intergenerational relationships, and social ties and interactions. At the same time, instructive gender variations emerge. The findings illustrate the dynamics of premarital sexual relations in this and similar contexts where such relations are traditionally stigmatised but multifaceted, societal changes increasingly challenge this stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasoul Sadeghi
- Department of Demography, University of Tehran, Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Victor Agadjanian
- Department of Sociology and the International Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Lin WH, Chiao C. The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experience and Heavy Smoking in Emerging Adulthood: The Role of Not in Education, Employment, or Training Status. J Adolesc Health 2022; 70:155-162. [PMID: 34518067 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in early adolescence and heavy smoking in emerging adulthood, focusing on the mediating role of individuals' not in education, employment, or training (NEET) status. METHODS Using a retrospective cohort sample from the Taiwan Youth Project, 2,903 participants from the age of 14 years until the age of 22 years were surveyed. Respondents' ACEs were assessed at the age of 14 years, their NEET status was assessed at the age of 20 years, and heavy smoking was measured at the age of 22 years. Regression and mediation analyses with resampling were conducted. RESULTS In a separate model, cumulative ACEs, three or more ACEs, and family dysfunction during early adolescence were significantly related and emerging adults' heavy smoking (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.32; AOR = 2.91; and AOR = 2.31, respectively) and NEET status (AOR = 1.27; AOR = 2.99; and AOR = 2.09, respectively). In the final model (including both ACE and NEET), these three ACE measures were still significantly related to heavy smoking and NEET status was also significantly related to heavy smoking. Finally, bootstrapping results indicated that the indirect effects from ACEs on heavy smoking through NEET were significant, which indicated significant indirect effects. CONCLUSIONS ACEs have a profound impact on emerging adults' heavy smoking, both directly and indirectly, through their NEET status. Thus, future research should focus on individuals' NEET status and its association with unhealthy behaviors in emerging adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hsu Lin
- Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Chi Chiao
- Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Insitute of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Abstract
This study examines family context and sexual debut among young people in China. Using data from the 2018 Panel Study of Chinese University Students (PSCUS), it explores how the family is correlated with sexual debut among young people in China aged 18-24 years. The Kaplan-Meier method was adopted to detect a survival function for different family factors and related demographic variables. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was adopted to calculate hazard ratios for the timing of sexual debut. The average age of sexual debut among the college students was 18.39 years. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that sexual intercourse initiation was earlier for female students who had no siblings, and those who had a mother with senior high school (including technical school) education or higher family income, but this correlation was insignificant among male students. The multivariate hazard regression analysis revealed that living in a family with a higher level of fathers' education, having a lower level of family income and having siblings had positive correlations with later sexual debut among the college students. Moreover, family factors showed gender differences in their associations with the timing of sexual debut, typically parent's education level, family income and left-behind experience. This study provides a comprehensive perspective on the role of family influences in timing of sexual debut among youth in China.
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Chiao C, Lin WH, Chen YH, Yi CC. Loneliness in older parents: marital transitions, family and social connections, and separate bedrooms for sleep. BMC Geriatr 2021; 21:590. [PMID: 34686133 PMCID: PMC8532569 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-021-02550-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This research innovatively analyzed the marital transitions (i.e., divorce and widowhood) of older Taiwanese parents, their sleep problems and spousal specific characteristics (i.e., separate bedrooms for sleep and marital relationships) as well as their social and family connections, all of which were simultaneously reflected in emotional and social domains of loneliness. METHODS Data are from 1645 older parents from Northern Taiwan. Loneliness was assessed by a De Jong-Gierveld short scale with emotional and social domains. We conducted multivariate logistic regression to examine the associations of marital transitions and family/social connections regarding sleep problems and psychological well-being with loneliness in social and emotional domains. Besides sleep problems and individual socioeconomic status, we included data on couples' sleeping arrangements and marital relationships. RESULTS Social loneliness was significantly associated with being divorced (AOR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.13-2.86) and living alone (AOR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.02-2.23). In contrast, strong family cohesion and frequent weekly contact with friends were associated with lower social loneliness. Married parents who slept in separate bedrooms were more likely than bed-sharing couples to feel emotional and social loneliness, despite adjusting for their sleep problems. Furthermore, satisfactory spousal relationships significantly decreased the magnitude of associations in the social domain. DISCUSSION Our findings support significant associations between loneliness in later life and major marital transitions, family and social connections and sleep problems which differ in social and emotional domains. Independent of relationship satisfaction, separate bedrooms relate to higher risks of emotional loneliness in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Chiao
- Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei City, 112 Taiwan, Republic of China
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No. 155, Sec. 2, Linong Street, Taipei City, 112 Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Wen-Hsu Lin
- Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei City, 112 Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Hua Chen
- Department of Bio-Industry Communication and Development, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City, 10617 Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chin-Chun Yi
- Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica, No. 128, Sec. 2, Academia Road, Nankang, Taipei City, 11529 Taiwan, Republic of China
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Exposure to sexually explicit media in early adolescence is related to risky sexual behavior in emerging adulthood. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230242. [PMID: 32275669 PMCID: PMC7147756 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sexually explicit media exposure during early adolescence has been found to be associated with risky sexual behavior. However, previous study suffered from methodological issue, such as selection bias. Furthermore, little is known about the effect of multi-modality sexually explicit media exposure on risky sexual behavior, and how this relationship can be applied to non-western societies. Objectives This study aimed to improve upon previous studies by using instrumental variable estimation. In addition, this study also included multi-modality of sexually explicit media and three risky sexual behavior measure from a sample of Taiwanese adolescents. Methods Participants were recruited from a prospective longitudinal study (Taiwan Youth Project). All were in 7th grade (mean age = 13.3) when the study was initiated in 2000. Sexually explicit media exposure, including ever-exposure and number of modalities exposed to, was measured in wave 2 (8th grade). Risky sexual behavior was measured in waves 8 (mean age = 20.3) and 10 (mean age = 24.3). A two-stage least squares regression was employed, with pubertal timing as the instrumental variable. Results About 50% of participants had been exposed to sexual media content by 8th grade, from an average of one modality. Sexually explicit media exposure predicted early sexual debut, unsafe sex, and multiple sexual partners (all: p < .05). Furthermore, exposure to more media modalities increased the likelihood of risky sexual behaviors. However, only the effect on early sexual debut was gender invariant. Conclusions Exposure to sexually explicit media in early adolescence had a substantive relationship with risky sexual behavior in the emerging adulthood. Knowledge of this causal like effect provides a basis for building better preventive programs in early adolescence. One prominent way is early education on media literacy, and physicians themselves may need to be familiar with such content to initiate it.
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Chiao C, Chen YH, Yi CC. Loneliness in young adulthood: Its intersecting forms and its association with psychological well-being and family characteristics in Northern Taiwan. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217777. [PMID: 31150498 PMCID: PMC6544274 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Most researchers have examined forms of loneliness as discrete and emotional distress. The approach proposed in this study captures the reality that many persons experience more than one dimension of loneliness—varying degrees coupled with their psychological well-being in a family context. This study explores the latent structure of loneliness during young adulthood and its association with psychological well-being, as well as how these are related to their family characteristics in adolescence. Methods Data are from 2,748 young people, a cohort sample from the Taiwan Youth Project (TYP). Loneliness was assessed by a 6-item de Jong-Gierveld short scale with emotional and social loneliness domains. We describe the clustering between loneliness domains and psychological well-being, namely depressive symptoms, self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, and alcohol use using latent class cluster analysis. In addition to incorporating the Taiwanese family context, multivariate multinomial logistic regression models included data on family cohesion and parental guan (parental control) in adolescence. This might be associated with choices in partnership and childbearing, and influence loneliness in young adulthood. Results Our results demonstrate a three-cluster model of loneliness involving emotional loners, serious emotional loners, and severe emotional/social loners. We also found that a feeling of serious emotional loneliness and severe emotional/social loneliness were significantly associated with psychological well-being, even adjusting for individual characteristics. Among young adults who had a partner, the married adults were significantly less likely to feel serious emotional loneliness than those who were living alone. Furthermore, young adults with stronger family cohesion during early adolescence were less likely to suffer from serious emotional loneliness (Relative risk ratios [RRR] 0.77, 95% CI 0.65–0.91) and severe emotional/social loneliness (RRR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34–0.85) in young adulthood. Discussion This measurement strategy provides a foundation for future research into how experts can address loneliness clusters in order to better understand psychological well-being during young adulthood and family context in adolescence. This is important because our results suggest that the various loneliness domains do not occur independently, but rather are embedded in patterns and are associated with family characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Chiao
- Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei Taiwan
- * E-mail:
| | - Yu-Hua Chen
- Department of Bio-Industry Communication and Development, National Taiwan University, Taipei Taiwan
| | - Chin-Chun Yi
- Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica, Taipei Taiwan
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Elliott JC, Hasin DS, Des Jarlais DC. Perceived health and alcohol use in individuals with HIV and Hepatitis C who use drugs. Addict Behav 2017; 72:21-26. [PMID: 28342409 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals who use illicit drugs are at heightened risk for HIV and/or Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Despite the medical consequences of drinking for drug-using individuals with these infections, many do drink. In other studies, how individuals perceive their health relates to their engagement in risk behaviors such as drinking. However, among drug-using individuals with HIV and HCV, whether perceived health relates to drinking is unknown. OBJECTIVE We examine the association between perceived health and drinking among drug-using individuals with HIV and/or HCV. METHODS In a large, cross-sectional study, we utilized samples of individuals with HIV (n=476), HCV (n=1145), and HIV/HCV co-infection (n=180), recruited from drug treatment centers from 2005 to 2013. In each sample, we investigated the relationship between perceived health and drinking, using ordinal logistic regressions. We present uncontrolled models as well as models controlled for demographic characteristics. RESULTS Among samples of drug using individuals with HIV and with HCV, poorer perceived health was associated with risky drinking only when demographic characteristics were taken into account (Adjusted Odds Ratios: 1.32 [1.05, 1.67] and 1.16 [1.00, 1.34], respectively). In the smaller HIV/HCV co-infected sample, the association of similar magnitude was not significant (AOR=1.32 [0.90, 1.93]). CONCLUSIONS Drug using patients with HIV or HCV with poor perceived health are more likely to drink heavily, which can further damage health. However, when demographics are not accounted for, these effects can be masked. Patients' reports of poor health should remind providers to assess for health risk behaviors, particularly heavy drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Elliott
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box 123, New York, NY 10032, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box 123, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Deborah S Hasin
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box 123, New York, NY 10032, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box 123, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Don C Des Jarlais
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 39 Broadway, Suite 530, New York, NY 10006, USA
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Chen ACC, Neilands TB, Chan SM, Lightfoot M. Contextual influence of Taiwanese adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavioral intent. Nurs Health Sci 2016; 18:355-61. [PMID: 26991765 DOI: 10.1111/nhs.12278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study examined parental, peer, and media influences on Taiwanese adolescents' attitudes toward premarital sex and intent to engage in sexual behavior. Participants included a convenience sample of 186 adolescents aged 13-15 recruited from two middle schools in Taiwan. Parental influence was indicated by perceived parental disapproval toward premarital sex and perceived peer sexual behavior was used to measure peer influence. Media influence was measured by the adolescents' perception of whether the media promotes premarital sex. We conducted structural equation modeling to test a hypothesized model. The findings suggested that the perceived sexual behavior of peers had the strongest effect on Taiwanese adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavioral intent, while parental disapproval and media influence also significantly contributed to adolescents' sexual attitudes and intent to engage in sex. School nurses are in an ideal position to coordinate essential resources and implement evidence-based sexually transmitted infection and HIV/AIDS prevention interventions that address issues associated with the influence of parents, peers, and media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Chia-Chen Chen
- College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Torsten B Neilands
- Department of Medicine, Division of Prevention Sciences, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Shu-Min Chan
- Shu Zen College of Medicine and Management, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Marguerita Lightfoot
- Department of Medicine, Division of Prevention Sciences, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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Lee YH, Salman A, Cooksey-James T. Gender Differences in HIV/AIDS Preventive Self-Efficacy Among Taiwanese Adolescents. AIDS EDUCATION AND PREVENTION : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR AIDS EDUCATION 2016; 28:77-89. [PMID: 26829258 DOI: 10.1521/aeap.2016.28.1.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the cross-sectional study was to understand gender differences in HIV/AIDS preventive self-efficacy among Taiwanese adolescents. Self-administered questionnaires were used to measure HIV/AIDS preventive self-efficacy and covariates (age, substance use, and sexual experiences). Data were collected from 734 Taiwanese high school adolescents aged 16 to 18 years. Descriptive statistic analyses, t-test, and ANCOVA were utilized to analyze data. The results indicate significant differences exist between genders in HIV/AIDS preventive self-efficacy among Taiwanese adolescents. Compared to the males, female adolescents were found having significantly higher HIV/AIDS preventive self-efficacy related to refusing sexual intercourse, condom use, and questioning potential sexual partners than those who are males. While controlling age, sexual experience, and substance use, female Taiwanese adolescents also had higher HIV/AIDS preventive self-efficacy than those who are males. The findings suggest the importance of addressing gender differences in HIV/AIDS preventive self-efficacy when developing HIV reduction programs for Taiwanese adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hui Lee
- College of Nursing and Health, Wright State University-Miami Valley, Dayton, Ohio
| | - Ali Salman
- Brandon University, Manitoba, Canada, and Al-Andalus University for Medical Sciences, Tartus, Syria
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Lopez JR, Mukaire PE, Mataya RH. Characteristics of youth sexual and reproductive health and risky behaviors in two rural provinces of Cambodia. Reprod Health 2015; 12:83. [PMID: 26346936 PMCID: PMC4562357 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-015-0052-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The global number of youths has risen with a majority living in Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, rural youths often face difficult barriers to health, which include lack of sexual and reproductive health knowledge, information, and services. Risky behaviors are a threat to the health of many young people in Cambodia. Methods We studied a sample of 300 youths to describe sexual and reproductive health characteristics and risky behaviors in two rural provinces of Cambodia. Using a multi-staged sampling method, 30 villages were selected for interviewing. A peer-to-peer interviewing criterion was used that matched interviewer to interviewee based upon sex. Logistic regression models were used to compare risk between sexes and assess for associations between reproductive health variables, gender, youth attitudes, and risky youth social behaviors. Results A majority (90 %) stated that a boy or girl should defer sex till marriage. A majority of youths (92 %) also reported that they may or definitely will seek sexual and reproductive health services in the future. About 5.4 % of youth had a prior sexual experience. Only 6.7 % of youth reported having they traveled to a local health center, hospital or clinic to seek healthcare for a reproductive health problem. Overall, 27 % reported alcohol use in prior 30 days. Relative to girls, boys were more likely to report alcohol use, going out late at night with friends, gambling, pornography use, gambling, and practicing risky behaviors with peers. Living with both parents and current school enrollment, had limited impact on rural youth’s individual and social behaviors. Conclusion Although there are favorable findings compatible with traditional Cambodian values and beliefs, the youth in this study are challenged with alcohol use, practicing risky behaviors with peers, and low condom use. Findings have implications for practice and policy to prevent substance abuse and improve outcomes for substance use, sexual and reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime R Lopez
- School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Population Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
| | - Pamela E Mukaire
- School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion and Education, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
| | - Ronald H Mataya
- School of Public Health, Department of Global Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, 92354, USA.
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Chan CH, Ting TT, Chen YT, Chen CY, Chen WJ. Sexual initiation and emotional/behavioral problems in Taiwanese adolescents: a multivariate response profile analysis. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2015; 44:717-727. [PMID: 24590627 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-014-0265-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2012] [Revised: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the relations of adolescent sexual experiences (particularly early initiation) to a spectrum of emotional/behavioral problems and to probe possible gender difference in such relationships. The 10th (N = 8,842) and 12th (N = 10,083) grade students, aged 16-19 years, participating in national surveys in 2005 and 2006 in Taiwan were included for this study. A self-administered web-based questionnaire was designed to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics, sexual experience, substance use, and the Youth Self-Report Form. For the sexually experienced adolescents, their sexual initiation was classified as early initiation (<16 years) or non-early initiation (16-19 years). Gender-specific multivariate response profile regression was used to examine the relationship between sexual experience and the behavioral syndromes. Externalizing problems, including Rule-breaking Behavior and Aggressive Behavior, were strongly associated with sexual initiation in adolescence; the magnitude of the association increased for earlier sexual initiation, especially for females. As to internalizing problems, the connection was rather heterogeneous. The scores on some syndromes, such as Somatic Complaints and Anxious/Depressed, were higher only for females with early or non-early sexual initiation whereas the score on Withdrawn, along with Social Problems that is neither internalizing nor externalizing, was lower for the sexually experienced adolescents than for the sexually inexperienced ones. We concluded that earlier sexual initiation was associated with a wider range of behavioral problems in adolescents for both genders, yet the increased risk with emotional problems was predominately found in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Hua Chan
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, 17 Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
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Khalajabadi Farahani F, Cleland J. Perceived norms of premarital heterosexual relationships and sexuality among female college students in Tehran. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2015; 17:700-717. [PMID: 25587802 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2014.990515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes perceptions of the societal acceptability and acceptability among peers of different types of premarital heterosexual relationships in Iran. Sources of variation in subjective norms are assessed. Results derive from a survey conducted in 2005 of a representative sample of 1743 female college students from four multidisciplinary universities in Tehran using two-stage random cluster sampling. An anonymous pilot-tested questionnaire was used. Respondents displayed remarkable heterogeneity and ambiguity concerning the social acceptability of premarital heterosexual friendship, dating and physical contact, but expressed greater certainty about the unacceptability of premarital sex. The majority (77.5%) reported that premarital sex was socially prohibited, while about one third (33.1%) were unsure about the social acceptability of having a boyfriend and dating before marriage. Peer norms were perceived to be more liberal but, nevertheless, very few peers were thought to be in favour of premarital intercourse. Older students, those with educated fathers and those studying in a mixed-sex university perceived norms to be more liberal than their counterparts. Access to satellite television, a major source of exposure to new information and values about sexuality, was a major predictor of liberal peer norms. It appears that a significant proportion of young people in Tehran have broken with tradition with regard to premarital social interaction and romantic friendships, but the majority still conforms to traditional cultural and religious values regarding abstinence before marriage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farideh Khalajabadi Farahani
- a Department of Population and Reproductive Health , Population Research Institute in Asia and the Pacific , Tehran , Iran
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Abraham J, Rahardjo W. Psychopathy, Sexual Values Dimensions, and Premarital Sexual Behaviour among Urban Unmarried Adolescents. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Chiao C, Ksobiech K. The influence of early sexual debut and pubertal timing on psychological distress among Taiwanese adolescents. PSYCHOL HEALTH MED 2014; 20:972-8. [DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2014.987147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Abbasi M, Bagyan MJ, Dehghan H. Cognitive failure and alexithymia and predicting high-risk behaviors of students with learning disabilities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HIGH RISK BEHAVIORS & ADDICTION 2014; 3:e16948. [PMID: 25032160 PMCID: PMC4080463 DOI: 10.5812/ijhrba.16948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: One of the threatening health issues is prevalence of high-risk behaviors in various groups. Because of rapid social changes, it has been considered as of the most important problems of society by health organizations, administrative laws, and social policymakers. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the role of cognitive failure and alexithymia in predicting high-risk behaviors of students with learning disabilities. Patients and Methods: This was a correlational research including all 14-16 years old students during 2012-2013 school year in Arak, IR Iran. Eighty students with learning disabilities were sampled by simply random sampling. The data were collected by cognitive failures questionnaire, Toronto alexithymia scale, and high-risk behavior questionnaire. Results: The results showed that high-risk behaviors had significant positive correlations with difficulty identifying feelings (r = 0.321), difficulty describing feelings (r = 0.336), externally oriented thinking (r = 0.248), distractibility (0.292), memory distortion (r = 0.374), blunders (r = 0.335), and names amnesia (r = 0.275). Multiple regression analysis showed that cognitive failure and alexithymia predicted 32% of the total variance of high-risk behaviors. Conclusions: These findings demonstrated that cognitive failure and alexithymia had important roles in strengthening and appearance of high-risk behaviors in students with learning disabilities. Therefore, considering those problems, precautionary actions might be necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moslem Abbasi
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Salman Farsi University of Kazerun, Kazerun, IR Iran
- Corresponding author: Moslem Abbasi, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Human sciences, Salman Farsi University of Kazerun, Kazerun, IR Iran. Tel: +98-9109457891, Fax: +98-7212229080, E-mail:
| | | | - Hamidreza Dehghan
- Department of Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, IR Iran
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Gibbs SE, Le LC, Dao HB, Blum RW. Peer and community influences on the acceptance of premarital sex among Vietnamese adolescents. J Paediatr Child Health 2014; 50:438-43. [PMID: 24612203 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.12512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM Adolescents in Vietnam have a low level of sexual activity, but this may increase with urbanisation and economic development. The aim of this analysis is to understand trends in correlates of permissive attitudes towards premarital sex among Vietnamese adolescents using an ecological framework. METHODS Data from the Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth from 2003 (n = 7584) and 2009 (n = 10,044) were analysed using multivariable logistic regressions to examine associations between permissive attitudes towards premarital sex and demographic and contextual factors among adolescents aged 14 to 25. RESULTS Correlates of having permissive attitudes towards premarital sex in both 2003 and 2009 included being male, older age, living in an urban area, living in the North, having ever used the Internet and perceiving that people in the community were having premarital sex. Variables that were significant in 2009 but not in 2003 included socio-economic status and belonging to an ethnic minority. Statistically significant changes in associations between 2003 and 2009 were observed for age, socio-economic status and belonging to an ethnic minority. CONCLUSIONS The association of permissive attitudes with community norms and certain socio-demographic variables in conjunction with overarching economic development and urbanisation suggests that premarital sex will likely become increasingly common among Vietnamese adolescents. These trends should be further assessed as adolescent sexual activity becomes more common and adolescent friendly health services should be developed to provide appropriate and acceptable sexual and reproductive health care to young people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susannah E Gibbs
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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Tsai MC, Lin SH, Chou YY, Lin SJ. Exploration of health status, healthcare utilization, and health service expectations among Taiwanese adolescents. Eur J Pediatr 2014; 173:187-96. [PMID: 23959323 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-013-2117-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2013] [Revised: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 07/22/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED There have been few reports about adolescent experiences with and expectations of health service utilization in an Asian societal setting. The aim of this study is to analyze the use of healthcare services in relation to health status and explore adolescents' preferences for youth-friendly service among Taiwanese high school students. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted on Taiwanese adolescents aged 12–18 years in 2010.We invited participants to rate their health status, report their previous healthcare service use, and rank their health service preferences.We used logistic regression analysis to investigate the association between self-rated health status and healthcare utilization and used nonparametric analysis to compare health service preferences among sociodemographic subgroups. A total of 4,907 students (97.2 % response rate) returned valid questionnaires for analysis. Poor health status and chronic illness were most salient factors independently associated with frequent healthcare service use. Only 40 % of respondents reported having a regular doctor, and pediatrics (57.7 %) was the most commonly identified professional source of medical care. A great majority (86.2 %) of respondents made clinical visits with parents. For characteristics of youth-friendly clinician, the top-ranked items included competency and patience, while having helpful and friendly personnel was highlighted for clinical setting. CONCLUSION Family participation is critical in healthcare for adolescents in Asian cultures. Health service use is significantly influenced by health status and chronic illness in the general health insurance system. Understanding these background influences on expectations for healthcare may help to create youth-friendly health services that are more culturally appropriate.
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Chiao C, Yi CC, Ksobiech K. Adolescent internet use and its relationship to cigarette smoking and alcohol use: a prospective cohort study. Addict Behav 2014; 39:7-12. [PMID: 24140305 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the longitudinal impact of situational Internet use on future cigarette smoking and alcohol use among male and female adolescents. A Northern Taiwanese cohort sample of adolescents with no prior use of cigarettes (n=1445) or alcohol (n=1468) was surveyed at age 16 and again 4 years later. Information regarding where, why, and length of time spent using the Internet was gathered from the 16-year-old participants. Outcome information regarding cigarette/alcohol use was gathered via a follow-up questionnaire at age 20. Multivariate regressions were used to incorporate peer, individual and family characteristics as measured at age 16 and create models of future cigarette and alcohol use at age 20. The analyses demonstrated that adolescent Internet use, particularly where such use took place, has a significant impact on future cigarette smoking and alcohol use, adjusted for conventional factors, and its relationship differs significantly by gender. Female adolescents with Internet café use appear to be especially likely to develop these two risky behaviors. The why of Internet use is also a predictor of future cigarette smoking. Finally, time spent using the Internet is significantly related to alcohol use; greater use of the Internet is associated with higher levels of drinking. The results revealed that different risky behaviors are differentially influenced by separate components of adolescent Internet use. These findings suggest that programs aimed at promoting adolescent health could potentially benefit Taiwanese adolescents by including components related to situational Internet use and taking gender into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Chiao
- Insitute of Health and Welfare Policy, Research Center for Health and Welfare Policy, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
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Chi X, Yu L, Winter S. Prevalence and correlates of sexual behaviors among university students: a study in Hefei, China. BMC Public Health 2012; 12:972. [PMID: 23148791 PMCID: PMC3527150 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In China, sexual health and behaviors of young people have become a growing public concern but few studies have been conducted to investigate the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of the phenomenon. Methods A self-reported questionnaire survey on youth sexual behaviors was conducted among 1,500 university students in 2011 at Hefei, a middle-size city in eastern China. A total of 1,403 students (age = 20.30 ± 1.27 years) completed the questionnaire with a high response rate of 93.5%. Results Among the respondents, 12.6% (15.4% of male versus 8.6% of female) students reported having pre-marital heterosexual intercourse; 10.8% (10.5% of males versus 11.2% females) had oral sex; 2.7% (3.4% of males versus 1.7% females) reported same-sex activities; 46% (70.3% of males versus 10.8% of females) reported masturbation behaviors; 57.4% (86.2% of males versus 15.6% females) students viewed pornography. In terms of sexual communication about sexual knowledge acquisition, 13.7% (10.7% of males versus 18% of females) talked to their parents about sex; 7.1% (6.1% of males versus 8.4% of females) students reported having conversation with parents on contraception. About forcing sexual behavior, 2.7% (4% of males versus 0.9% of females) reported forcing their sexual partners to have sex, and 1.9% (2.4% of males versus 1.2% of females) reported being forced to have sex. Gender was found to be significant predictor of sexual behaviors in university students: males reported more sexual behaviors including sexual fantasy, heterosexual intercourse, masturbation, viewing pornography and talking about sex with friends. Several correlates of sexual behaviors were identified for students of different gender separately. For males, having romantic relationships, past sex education experiences, low educational aspirations, time spent on the Internet, and urban native settings were significantly associated with more sexual behaviors. For female students, having romantic relationships and urban native settings predicted sexual behaviors. Conclusion Sexual behavior among University students in China is not uncommon, although there are limited ways for students to acquire sex-related knowledge: male students showed significantly more sexual behaviors than female students. Having romantic relationships and more time spent online were important predictors of sexual behaviors among university students. To guide healthy sexual behaviors in young people, comprehensive sex education programs that provide necessary sexual health knowledge about safe sex should be developed and implemented in universities in China, particularly for students who have romantic relationships and those who spend long periods of time on the Internet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinli Chi
- Department of Education, University of Hong Kong, Room 101, HOC BLOG, Hong Kong, China.
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Chiao C, Yi CC, Ksobiech K. Exploring the relationship between premarital sex and cigarette/alcohol use among college students in Taiwan: a cohort study. BMC Public Health 2012; 12:527. [PMID: 22809432 PMCID: PMC3490780 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2012] [Accepted: 06/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cigarette/alcohol use and premarital sex, and their subsequent consequences on the well-being of college students, are international health promotion issues. However, little is known about the temporal relationship of these risk behaviors among Taiwanese college students. METHODS This study utilizes data from the Taiwan Youth Project, a cohort sample of 20-year-olds (N = 2,119) with a 2-year follow-up, to explore the relationship between adolescent cigarette/alcohol use, and subsequent premarital sex. To incorporate the Taiwanese context where the normative value of abstinence until marriage remains strong, multivariate logistic regression models included data on premarital sex attitudes, stressful life events, peer influence, as well as family and individual factors which might influence this relationship. RESULTS The sample consists of 49% male and 51% female college students. About 16% of the sample report having had premarital sex by age 20. After excluding sexually active youth, 20% of males and 13% of females report engaging in premarital sex in the 2-year follow-up interview. Multivariate logistic regression analyses reveal adolescent alcohol use is significantly associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in premarital sex for both genders; adolescent smoking is significantly associated with premarital sexual activity among males, but not females. Our results indicate liberal premarital sexual attitudes and stressful personal events are also significantly associated with premarital sexual activity. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest health promotion programs for college students need to take developmental and gender perspectives into account. Future research to incorporate a broader, multi-cultural context into risk reduction materials is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Chiao
- Insitute of Health and Welfare Policy, Research Center for Health and Welfare Policy, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
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Shiue I. Neighbourhood satisfaction and happiness but not urbanization level affect self-rated health in adolescents. Scand J Public Health 2012; 40:498-500. [PMID: 22802014 DOI: 10.1177/1403494812449081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is hypothesized that neighbourhood satisfaction and subjective happiness are associated with self-rated health or mediate the effect from urbanization levels among youth. METHODS Taiwan Youth Project was a cross-sectional study in two cities, Taipei and Yilan, Taiwan including 5,586 students. Information on neighbourhood satisfaction, happiness, urbanization levels, and self-rated health was obtained by interview. RESULTS Neighbourhood satisfaction and happiness were both significantly associated with self-rated health (both p<0.001) while urbanization level was not (p>0.05). Neighbourhood satisfaction is also highly correlated with happiness (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Future public health intervention should attend to neighbourhood satisfaction and happiness for youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy Shiue
- Centre of Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, The University of Edinburgh, UK.
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Zuo X, Lou C, Gao E, Cheng Y, Niu H, Zabin LS. Gender differences in adolescent premarital sexual permissiveness in three Asian cities: effects of gender-role attitudes. J Adolesc Health 2012; 50:S18-25. [PMID: 22340852 PMCID: PMC4235609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Revised: 11/02/2011] [Accepted: 12/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Gender is an important factor in understanding premarital sexual attitudes and behaviors. Many studies indicate that males are more likely to initiate sexual intercourse and have more permissive perceptions about sex than females. Yet few studies have explored possible reasons for these gender differences. With samples of unmarried adolescents in three Asian cities influenced by Confucian cultures, this article investigates the relationship between underlying gender norms and these differences in adolescents' premarital sexual permissiveness (PSP). METHODS In a collaborative survey conducted in 2006-2007 in urban and rural areas of Hanoi, Shanghai, and Taipei, 16,554 unmarried participants aged 15-24 years were recruited in the three-City Asian Study of Adolescents and Youth, with 6,204, 6,023, and 4,327 respondents from each city, respectively. All the adolescents were administered face-to-face interviews, coupled with computer-assisted self-interview for sensitive questions. Scales on gender-role attitudes and on PSP for both male and female respondents were developed and applied to our analysis of the data. Multilinear regression was used to analyze the relationship between gender-role attitudes and sexual permissiveness. RESULTS Male respondents in each city held more permissive attitudes toward premarital sex than did females, with both boys and girls expressing greater permissiveness to male premarital sexual behaviors. Boys also expressed more traditional attitudes to gender roles (condoning greater inequality) than did girls in each city. Adolescents' gender-role attitudes and permissiveness to premarital sex varied considerably across the three cities, with the Vietnamese the most traditional, the Taiwanese the least traditional, and the adolescents in Shanghai in the middle. A negative association between traditional gender roles and PSP was only found among girls in Shanghai and Taipei. In Shanghai, female respondents who held more traditional gender-role attitudes were more likely to exercise a double standard with respect to male as opposed to female premarital sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18). This relationship also applied to attitudes of both girls and boys in Taipei (OR = 1.20 and OR = 1.22, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Although with variation across sites, gender differences in PSP and attitudes to gender roles among adolescents were very significant in each of the three Asian cities influenced by Confucian-based values. Traditional gender norms may still be deeply rooted in the three cities, especially among females; while it is important to advocate gender equity in adolescent reproductive health programs, the pathway of traditional gender norms in influencing adolescent reproductive health outcomes must be understood, as must differences and similarities across regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiayun Zuo
- Department of Epidemiology and Social Science, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai, PR China
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How does traditional Confucian culture influence adolescents' sexual behavior in three Asian cities? J Adolesc Health 2012; 50:S12-7. [PMID: 22340851 PMCID: PMC4235616 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Revised: 11/17/2011] [Accepted: 12/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate whether and how the presence of Confucian cultural norms influences the sexual behaviors of adolescents and young adults in three Asian cities experiencing different levels of economic development. METHODS Data for this article were drawn from the international cross-sectional survey on sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years in three Asian cities (Hanoi, Shanghai, and Taipei), conducted in 2006. The original sample consisted of a representative group of 17,016 adolescents; while in this study, 16,554 never-married adolescents were included in the analysis. Both face-to-face interview and computer-assisted self-interview approaches were adopted in the survey. Exposure to family concepts, self-cultivation values, gender role concepts, and sexual values were the main measures of traditional Confucian cultural influence. Sexual and intimate behaviors were the main outcome measures, and multi-Cox regression models were used to assess the association between traditional cultural concepts and values and sexual behavior after adjusting for potentially confounding factors. Data were analyzed with SAS software 9.1. RESULTS The traditional Confucian cultural norms were not weakening evenly, with more entrenchment in Hanoi than in Shanghai and Taipei. Prevalence of sexual coitus among adolescent and young adults was lowest in Hanoi and highest in Taipei, while similar profiles of other intimate behaviors were displayed in the three cities. Associations between respondents' sexual behavior and their cultural concepts and values differed by city. In Hanoi, for all four cultural measures, respondents with more traditional views were less likely to engage in sexual activity. This was also true in Shanghai and Taipei with respect to traditional sexual values and self-cultivation values. However, there was an inverse relationship between sexual behavior and traditional family concepts and gender roles in Shanghai and Taipei; those with more traditional values were more likely to have premarital sexual intercourse, except with regard to family values among female youth in Taipei. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that different aspects of Confucian values eroding unevenly in different Asian cities may have distinct association with adolescent or young adults' sexual behaviors.
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Tu X, Lou C, Gao E, Li N, Zabin LS. The relationship between sexual behavior and nonsexual risk behaviors among unmarried youth in three Asian cities. J Adolesc Health 2012; 50:S75-82. [PMID: 22340860 PMCID: PMC4235615 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Revised: 11/17/2011] [Accepted: 12/06/2011] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health risk behaviors in adolescents and youth, such as smoking, alcohol, drug use, violence, suicide, and unprotected sexual behavior, are issues of major public health concern. Addressing the relationship between sexual behavior and nonsexual risk behaviors will make a significant contribution to the design of effective intervention programs for this population of adolescents and unmarried youth. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted in three Asian cities with a common heritage of Confucian values: Hanoi, Shanghai, and Taipei. Data were collected in 2006 from 17,016 youth aged 15-24 years residing in both urban and rural districts of the three settings. The relationships between sexual behavior and seven nonsexual risk behaviors among unmarried adolescents were examined using χ(2) tests, logistic regression models, Cox regression models, and cluster analysis. RESULTS Sexual behavior was associated with seven nonsexual risk behaviors, especially with smoking, drinking, drug use, and running away from home. In terms of the age at initiation of risk behaviors, smoking and drinking were usually initiated before sexual intercourse. Sexual behavior and nonsexual risk behaviors co-occurred in the high-risk group in all three cities. Youth having the highest risk of sexual behavior were more likely to have the highest risk of nearly all nonsexual risk behaviors, with the exception of fighting in Hanoi and gambling in Shanghai and Taipei. CONCLUSIONS Sexual behavior among unmarried youth is correlated with nonsexual risk behaviors but with different patterns across the three settings. Interventions aimed at reducing unprotected sex generally focus only on the sexual behavior; however, considering the correlations found here between sexual and nonsexual risk behaviors, they should target multiple risk behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Tu
- Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chaohua Lou
- Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ersheng Gao
- Responding author: Ersheng Gao (, Tel: 8621-64046106, Fax: 8621-64046128)
| | - Nan Li
- Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Laurie S. Zabin
- Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
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