Pathways From Peer Victimization to Sexually Transmitted Infections Among African American Adolescents

Prospective Associations of Discrimination, Race, and Sexual Orientation with Substance Use in Adolescents

Objective: Adolescents are at high risk for alcohol and cannabis use. Emerging evidence suggests that discrimination exposure is prospectively associated with risk for alcohol use among adolescents of marginalized race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. However, it is unknown whether prospective discrimination-substance use associations among marginalized adolescents are also present for cannabis use. This study examined prospective associations of race, sexual orientation, and discrimination exposure with alcohol and cannabis use over one year. Methods: Data were drawn from a two-wave longitudinal health survey study of 9-11^th graders (n = 350 for the current analyses; Year 1 M_age=15.95 [SD = 1.07, range = 13-19]; 44% male; 44% Black, 22% White, 18% Asian, 16% Multiracial; 16% LGB; 10% Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity) at an urban high school. Two multinomial logistic regressions examined associations of Year 1 race, sexual orientation, and discrimination experiences with Year 2 alcohol and cannabis consumption separately. Results: Year 1 Discrimination exposure was associated with increased risk for Year 2 past-year alcohol use among Asian (OR = 1.34) and past-month alcohol use among Multiracial (OR = 1.30) adolescents, but not Black or LGB adolescents. Discrimination exposure was not associated with any cannabis use pattern in any group. Independent of discrimination, LGB adolescents were at greater risk for monthly alcohol (OR = 3.48) and cannabis use (OR = 4.07) at Year 2. Conclusions: Discrimination exposure is prospectively associated with risk for alcohol use among adolescents of understudied (Asian, Multiracial) racial backgrounds, and should be considered in alcohol prevention and intervention strategies. Risk factors for alcohol and cannabis use among LGB adolescents should continue to be explored.

Adaptation of the event history calendar for Ugandan adolescents

Adolescent and emerging adult risk behavior is a concern globally. Discussing health promotive and risk behaviors with adolescents and young adults can be challenging regardless of the country of data collection and dominant culture. In the United States, event history calendars have been used in both research and clinical settings to identify healthy and risky behaviors among adolescents and emerging adults, and contextual factors that may influence their behavior. After an unsuccessful attempt to employ a particular event history calendar on family life, negative and positive events, sexual behavior and substance use in data collection in rural fishing villages in Western Uganda, the current study aimed to modify the United States validated event history calendar for use with adolescents in Uganda, as a first step to cultural adaptation. Focus groups with 24 college students provided information about ways to modify the event history calendar for Ugandan youth. This paper discusses the modifications of the event history calendar for Ugandan young people.