RESUMEN
Prevalence of mental health problems among US youth has increased in recent years, and there is a dearth of epidemiological research at the state level that integrates risk and protective factors into population-based surveillance. We utilized the developmental assets framework to measure protective factors; we assessed (1) prevalence of depressive symptoms, high adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; ≥ 4 ACEs), and few developmental assets (≤ 2 assets) over time, and (2) associations among these three phenomena. Using 2016 and 2019 Minnesota Student Survey data, we utilized descriptive statistics, multivariable logistic regression, and post-estimation analyses (adjusting for school clustering and demographics). Using pooled data, we examined how high ACEs and few assets predicted depressive symptoms and we tested three-way interactions for high ACEs, few assets, and survey year. There were statistically significant increases in prevalence of depressive symptoms, high ACEs, and few assets between 2016 and 2019. High ACEs (AOR = 2.74; 95% CI = 2.61, 2.89) and few assets (AOR = 3.13; 95% CI = 3.00, 3.26) were positively related to depressive symptoms; interactions were statistically significant. Additive interactions showed that, compared to their counterparts, adolescents with high ACEs and few assets had the highest prevalence of depressive symptoms, and this group exhibited the largest increase in prevalence between 2016 and 2019. Depressive symptoms are highest among adolescents with high risk and few protective factors, and recent increases in the prevalence of depressive symptoms appear to have disproportionately occurred among these adolescents. We offer a potential roadmap for following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to integrate ACEs and protective factors into local public health efforts. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42844-022-00052-2.
RESUMEN
PURPOSE: Youth who trade sex for something of value experience enduring harm and risk of being trafficked. This study provides empirically-based prevalence estimates to guide policy and practice. METHODS: This secondary analysis of 2019 population-level surveillance data from high school students in Minnesota (N = 71,007) uses descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to analyze self-reports of trading sex by demographics, relevant experiences, and health indicators. RESULTS: The prevalence of trading sex among high school students in Minnesota was 1.4%. Cisgender boys and girls had similar rates; transgender students were much higher (5.9%). Rates varied significantly across race/ethnicity (e.g., Native youth, 3.1%), school location, and economic indicators. Students indicating other relevant experiences, such as having been treated for alcohol or drug use (15.1%), reported elevated rates of trading sex. CONCLUSIONS: Trading sex is a public health issue that affects high school students. The results show disparate rates of trading sex based on race/ethnicity and gender, with elevated rates among youth who engage in other risky behaviors and experienced other adverse experiences.
