Sexual health disparities among racial/ethnic minority females: STDs and sexual risk behaviors

The purpose of this study is to advance the state of knowledge about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and sexual risk behaviors among racial/ethnic minority females. Using a framework based on ecological theory and the theory of fundamental social causes, this study illustrates pathways by which racial/ethnic disparities may impact sexual health status.;This study estimates, among females who differ by racial/ethnic group, the proportions of three outcomes (self-reported STD diagnosis, early sexual debut, and multiple sex partners) and the longitudinal patterns of STD acquisition. It examines the longitudinal factors associated with these three outcomes among females who differ by racial/ethnic group. Further, this study investigates racial/ethnic differences in predicting these three outcomes among females who differ by socioeconomic status (SES).;While racial/ethnic minority females compared to white females have confronted greater sexual health problems such as higher rates of STDs and sexual risk behaviors, there is an absence of rigorous studies that consider racial/ethnic differences in STD risks and their predictors among females. The present study is one of only a few that uses a nationally representative sample that includes four racial/ethnic groups, and examines the longitudinal nature of sexual activity.;Data were derived from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, Waves 1 (1995), and 3 (2001); the sample was 6,894 females. Findings indicate that the proportion of STDs and sexual risk behaviors, and the longitudinal pattern of self-reported STDs, differed by race/ethnicity indicating that African American and Asian American and Pacific Islander (API) females are at high risk. Overall, the results from logistic regression analyses showed that the predictors of STDs, early sexual debut, and multiple sex partners, varied by race/ethnicity and by SES. The results also indicate that, among different predictors of STD risks, the role of binge drinking is highlighted across different racial/ethnic groups. Among different SES groups, being African American was a significant risk factor for STD risks.;Implications of study findings for research, practice, and policy are presented and further discussed in terms of specific prevention and intervention strategies for racial/ethnic minority females who have experienced significant and consistent disparities in sexual health conditions.