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Immigration and Sexual Partner Risk Among Latino Adolescents in San Francisco
Minnis, A., Doherty, I., Vandommelen-Gonzalez, E., Cheng, H., Otero-Sabogal, R., & Padian, N. (2010). Immigration and Sexual Partner Risk Among Latino Adolescents in San Francisco. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 12(6), 900-908. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-010-9348-2
Sexual partner characteristics increase risk for adverse reproductive health outcomes. Evidence is limited regarding whether choice of sexual partners among Latino adolescents changes with U.S. acculturation/adaptation. We used generalized estimating equations to assess the associations between immigrant generation (recent immigrant, 1.5 [immigrated prior to adolescence], 2nd and 3rd) and sexual partner risk in a prospective cohort study of 411 Latino adolescents aged 14-19. We examined three measures of partner risk and mediating effects of family influence (familism and parental monitoring). The odds of reporting a partner with frequent substance use increased with increasing immigrant generation (odds ratios (OR) [reference = recent immigrants]: 2.3, 3.4, and 5.6) as did having a partner who was in a gang/incarcerated (OR [reference = recent immigrants]: 2.4, 3.6, and 5.7). Though the odds of having high-risk partners decreased with higher parental monitoring, neither family influence measure mediated these relationships. Findings underscore the need for a prevention focus on partner choice with attention to increased risk with increasing U.S. generation
