Early socioeconomic disadvantage and young adult sexual health.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To test a longitudinal and multilevel model predicting young adult risky sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted infections. METHODS: Data from 14,058 participants in 3 waves were used to link community and family disadvantage, adolescent adjustment problems, and risky sexual behaviors with STIs. RESULTS: Community-level disadvantage, being African American, and being female remained predictors of sexual behaviors and STIs whereas adolescent adjustment mediated the effect of several family characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates how individual-, family-, and community-level characteristics and vulnerabilities contribute to young adult sexual risk and STI prevalence. Findings indicate specific individual characteristics and childhood experiences that should be specific targets of STI prevention efforts.