HIV-related attitudes and risk behavior of young adolescent mothers.

ABSTRACT

PIP: HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and risk behaviors were investigated in a study of 58 primarily Latina, low-income adolescent mothers (mean age, 17.5 years) enrolled in the Rhode Island (US) Hospital Teen-Tot Clinic. Respondents expressed fear concerning the threat of AIDS and 9% were worried they had already been exposed to HIV. Their basic knowledge about HIV transmission was adequate. Despite substantial anxiety about HIV infection, 47.4% of teen mothers did not use condoms consistently, 31.7% had 2 or more sex partners in the past year, 14.0% had a history of a sexually transmitted disease, and 22.8% had intentionally cut their body with an instrument such as a razor blade or pen. Although 70% used hormonal contraception, 33% of respondents had a second child within an average of 18 months of the birth of the first. Consistent condom users were significantly more likely than those who almost never or never used condoms to report personalized anxiety and concern about HIV/AIDS, significantly less likely to engage in self-mutilating behaviors, and significantly more likely to express intentions to engage in future HIV prevention behaviors. In focus groups discussions attended by 59 respondents, teen mothers expressed a sense of powerlessness in negotiating condom use with older male sexual partners and cultural taboos against condom use in primary relationships. Latinas viewed assertive sexual decision-making as incompatible with cultural norms regarding the female role. While hormonal methods of contraception were perceived as a medical regimen, barrier methods were associated with a culturally unacceptable premeditated decision to have sex.