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Studies on HIV/AIDS routinely identify stigma as a barrier to both reducing sexual risk and increasing protective behaviors. Due to the high rates of HIV infections among Black females in the United States, this exploratory study examined stigma perceptions and their associations with risk behaviors in a sample of 281 Black females aged 18–23 attending family planning clinics. Participants completed the HIV/AIDS Stigma scale which has three sub-scales assessing knowledge, subjective, and community stigma. Risk behaviors were also measured. The majority of participants demonstrated a lack of knowledge about HIV transmission pathways, some displayed self-shaming attitudes associated with an HIV diagnosis, and perceived stigma from the community. Overall, there were no associations between the stigma subscales and risk behaviors. Since there are major inconsistences in knowledge, stigma and behaviors among sexually active Black female youth, HIV education must address both stigma and risk behaviors a...

The study identified factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk perception among 283 African American young adult females attending family planning clinics. This included partner communication, a forced sex experience, social support, self-efficacy, and risk behaviors. Relative to adolescents who perceived themselves to be at low/high risk for HIV, adolescents with medium HIV risk had the highest number of lifetime and recent sexual partners, were significantly less comfortable in communicating with partners about sexual issues, and reported low sex and condom self-efficacy. Additionally, the medium group had the highest proportion of participants who reported a forced sex experience. The findings suggest that a forced sex experience may affect females’ ability to accurately assess sexual risk. Screening for trauma and helping adolescents accurately appraise their HIV risk is essential for risk reduction.

Because of its availability, anonymity, and low cost of access, the Internet is an increasingly common way for adolescents to find information about sensitive issues. Sexual health website question portals are an important way for adolescents to seek personalized information tailored to their individualized needs. Few studies have examined the content within anonymous e-mails sent to these question portals. The purpose of this qualitative evaluation was to analyze thematic content of anonymous e-mails sent through a question portal on a comprehensive sexual health clinic website for an adolescent family planning clinic in a large city in the southwest United States. Between August 2009 and June 2012, the e-mail server received questions from 484 individuals who were seeking sexual health-related information. The authors used a content analysis to identify recurrent themes in the questions submitted. The most common questions regarded the cost of the clinic's services and testing for sexually transmitted diseases. The questions revealed that adolescents lack basic sexual health knowledge and hold many misconceptions. The findings support the usefulness of online question portals as effective venues for teenagers to quickly and anonymously obtain accurate information on sensitive issues.

This study aimed to identify health issues that affect young men and the barriers they experience in accessing care. Participants were 48 minority men 18-28 years old, distributed among 9 focus groups. Four main themes emerged in the study. First, the authors identified sexually transmitted infections, mental health problems, and drug use as major health issues. Second, participants identified attitudinal and institutional barriers to accessing care. This included denial; fear; embarrassment; perception that it is not considered manly to seek help; cost; and accessibility. Third, focus group participants felt that services have to be augmented in order to address the specific needs of men. Last, participants suggested strategies to attract men to family planning clinics that are consistent with a youth culture. Focus groups are effective in obtaining input in order to augment services for men.

Objective. Adolescents and young adults remain at high risk for new HIV infections and for unknowingly transmitting the virus to others. Yet, they have demonstrated low rates of testing due to barriers such as stigma and difficulty accessing testing services. Few existing programs have successfully integrated family planning and HIV care services to improve testing and diagnosis rates among young adults and adolescents, particularly those of minority groups. This study describes the process of implementing HIV services into family planning clinics and how to train staff in routine, opt-out testing. Methods. This study used HIV screening data from 10 family planning clinics serving adolescents and young adults in Houston, Texas. A total of 34,299 patients were tested for HIV during a 48-month study period, from January 2010 through December 2014. Results. Patients tested included minors Conclusion. Routine, opt-out HIV testing integrated into family planning clinics increased rates of testing acceptance, receipt of test results, and HIV-positive diagnoses among adolescents and young adults.

The objective of this study was to assess the overall health, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge and needs, sexual behaviors, and testicular health practices among young minority males. Anonymous questionnaires were administered to 18- to 25-year-old males receiving services at health clinics in a large southwestern U.S. city. The survey was completed by 258 males with a mean age of 20.8 years. Most young males (67.1%) identified as African American, and 32.9% as Hispanic. Results suggest study participants lack SRH knowledge related to pregnancy and condom effectiveness, and engage in risky sexual behavior including not using birth control at their last sexual encounter. Although 21.6% of participants had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the past year, approximately 80% perceived their STI/HIV risk as very low or low. Respondents had low engagement and lack of knowledge of testicular health practices. The majority of respondents (71.1%) reported having been in a physical fight one or more times and 18.1% reported being victims of intimate partner violence. These data support a need for comprehensive health services for minority young males.

The current study assessed the impact of individual, interpersonal, and contextual factors on HIV risk perception. A total of 426 female adolescents attending family planning clinics took part in this study. The majority, 60.1% were African-American and 39.9% were Hispanic. The results indicated that the majority of participants perceived themselves to be at no or low risk for contracting HIV. Individual, interpersonal as well as contextual factors correlated with HIV risk perception in the study. Adolescents who perceived themselves to be at no or low risk were more likely to be Hispanic, be married and had children. They also felt that they can control situations where they have to refuse sex or insist on condom use, had more frequent communication with sexual partners about condom use and held perceptions that peer norms support condom use. The findings in this study have important implications for risk reduction education for female adolescents. Risk reduction education should strengthen adolescents' personal skills to help them avoid HIV risk despite the various pressures they experience in their life.

Health care utilization of reproductive health care services among males is an emerging issue. This study examined ethnicity as a factor in reproductive health care utilization among 1,606 African American and Hispanic young males attending family planning clinics. Seventy percent were African American and 30% were Hispanic. Across groups, the most received service was treatment for a sexually transmitted infection (STI). African American males were more likely than Hispanic males to have health insurance, report a prior visit to a family planning/STI clinic, and have a history of an STI. Hispanic males had higher rates of employment. The most common source of referral for family planning services for both groups was either a current girlfriend or female friend. Hispanic males were more likely to use family as a referral source than African American males. Differences were also noted in regard to interest in health topics with African American males most interested in STI prevention and getting a job and Hispanic males in services related to working-out/eating well, controlling anger, feeling depressed, and getting along with family. Young males’ perceptions of what they consider to be important health care needs should be assessed carefully in order to maintain their interest in returning to the clinics.

This study examined differences in socio-demographics, risk factors and interest in health care topics between males who reported depression compared to those who did not. The sample consisted of 1294 African-American and Hispanic males attending family planning clinics. The results indicated major differences between depressed and non-depressed males. Depressed males were more likely than nondepressed males to be Hispanic and to engage in risk behaviors such as cigarette smoking and drug and alcohol use. Differences were also found in regard to interest in health topics, with depressed males requiring more services related to relationships and feelings than non-depressed males. The findings indicate that young males who attend family planning clinics exhibit signs of depression and profile differently from those who do not exhibit these symptoms and may need additional assessments and referral services.

The purpose of this study was to examine risk factors, knowledge, and attitudes as predictors of intent to use condoms among 290 minority female adolescents who attended family planning clinics. Data on demographic characteristics and risk behaviors such as drug use, school attendance, and contraceptive use were gathered. The results indicated that slightly over half of the teens intended to use condoms at the next intercourse. Overall knowledge about HIV/AIDS and STDs was poor and was not a predictor of intent to use condoms. Teens who intended to use condoms had more favorable attitudes about condom use and a better sense of self-protection regardless of partner feelings or beliefs. These findings suggest that program planners need to be aware that inconsistencies between knowledge and the behaviors of teens exist and this must be viewed within the teens' cultural milieu. Condom use and sex education should become a collaborative endeavor among teens, parents, and partners of female adolescents.

This study examined the impact of risk factors, self and peers’ beliefs, and parental communication on condom use among 290 female adolescents who attended family planning clinics. The major findings showed that in addition to risk factors, self and peer beliefs about condom use and parental communication about birth control predicted actual condom use. Implications for social workers about the importance of encouraging communication between adolescents and their parents are discussed.

This study examined whether an assessment tool combining HIV-related risk behaviors and symptoms would increase HIV testing and return for post-test counseling among 466 adolescents attending family planning clinics. The results indicted that high-risk behaviors were common among these adolescents. The majority (78.3%) identified themselves as not using condoms consistently, almost a quarter (24.7%) reported a history of STDs and 129 (27.7%) reported they had pierced their bodies. A total of 214 (45.9%) received HIV testing. Two (0.4%) adolescents, one male and one female, tested positive for HIV. Of the 214 adolescents who underwent testing, 183 (85.5%) returned to the clinic for post-test counseling. The results of this study indicated that adolescents who reported risk behaviors and symptoms were not more likely than those who reported no risk behaviors and symptoms to request testing and return for post-test counseling. In light of these results, the authors review the protocols associated with testing and post-test counseling and propose solutions that can potentially improve these processes. The authors recommend integrating a risk assessment tool with HIV testing in family planning clinics as testing and return for post-test counseling rates were high.

Young fathers (N = 143) ages 16-33 participated in an assessment of risk behaviors, service needs, and mental health issues upon entering a fatherhood program. Almost 70% were unemployed, 39% were school dropouts, 47% used alcohol, 40% had problems with the law, and 42% had been in jail. The most frequently reported mental health issues were problems related to relationships, neighborhood, family, tobacco use, police, and being a parent. Fathers also identified feeling states of anger, sadness/depression, nervousness/tension, helplessness, and aggression. Although risk behaviors and mental health issues were identified, fathers did not request services to address them; rather, their most frequently requested service needs were related to jobs and vocational training. The article suggests that an assessment of mental health issues that focuses on a strengths perspective might yield a better evaluation of both mental health issues and service needs. The article addresses ways that program planners could enhance realistic participation.

The goal of this study was to examine the effect of resiliency and family support on depression symptoms among 110 indigent adolescents attending a family planning clinic in a large urban city in southwestern USA. Findings suggested that several of the resiliency domains, on the Individual Protective Factors Index, as well as family support measured by the Family Support Scale, were associated with depression symptoms. Scores on the self-concept and positive outlook dimensions of the Personal Competence domain, the confidence and assertiveness dimensions of the Social Competence domain, and family support correlated with depression symptoms. The findings also suggested that 16.4% of the teens in this clinic would be classified as clinically depressed and as needing further evaluation. It seems reasonable to conclude that resilient adolescents may possess characteristics, beliefs, and supports which enable them to cope with life stressors more effectively and avoid depressive symptoms than those who are not as resilient. Given the prevalence and extent of depression among adolescents, it is important to develop interventions to foster attachment and enhance individual protective factors in primary prevention programs as such interventions may ameliorate the effects of high-risk environments.

33 young males attending a family-planning clinic were asked about the consequences of child abuse as it affects behavioral problems of teens and their interest in programs that deal specifically with these problems. Nine reported they had been victims of abuse. Most believed that drug and alcohol misuse and suicide were the major consequences of child abuse. Fifteen were interested in programs for prevention of child abuse but not for specific problems such as substance misuse and smoking cessation. This study's findings suggest that family-planning clinics with services for males must address their behavioral as well as medical needs.This study examines how males view the consequences of child abuse in terms of behavioral problems and how receptive they might be to prevention programs. The participants were 33 young males (mean age, 18.4 years) attending a family planning clinic in a county hospital in the US. This group was composed of 21 African Americans, 9 Hispanics, and 3 European-Americans. They were asked seven questions related to the contribution of child abuse to later problems of teens, such as school dropout, crime, drugs, alcohol, prostitution, suicide, and teenage pregnancy. Additional information about their interest in specific programs was also elicited to address these behavioral problems, and personal experience with abuse. Findings show that 9 males reported that they had been victims of abuse. Most believed that drug and alcohol misuse and suicide were the major consequences of child abuse. About 15 males were interested in general programs for child abuse prevention; 12 were interested in smoking cessation programs, 10 in substance abuse programs, and 6 in suicide prevention programs. Moreover, 19 believed that child abuse is a problem in their communities. The findings of this study indicate that family planning clinics with services for males must address their behavioral as well as their medical needs.

This study examined the association between depression, risk behaviors, parental communication, and perceived barriers related to condom use among adolescents attending family-planning clinics. A total of 751 minority women participated in the study. The authors collected data on demographic characteristics, depression, risk behaviors, parental communication about sex-related topics, and perceptions about partner attitudes. Results indicated that 15.2% of adolescents reported depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were associated with risk behaviors such as low condom use, substance use, reduced parental communication, and negative perceptions about condom use. These findings suggest that to provide a comprehensive healthcare service to adolescents, the focus of treatment must be expanded beyond the scope of the traditional family planning model. Issues such as depression, risk behaviors, and family communication have to be incorporated in prevention programs to increase the effectiveness of services aimed at risk reduction among adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to examine ethnic differences in risk behaviors among adolescents who attended family planning clinics and to evaluate the impact of parental communication regarding sexual topics on adolescent condom use. The sample for this study included 697 black and Hispanic female adolescents ranging in age from 13-22 years. Ethnic differences were found in sexually transmitted infection rates, number of sexual partners, and condom use. Although black adolescents were more likely than Hispanic adolescents to report recent condom use, Black adolescents reported higher rates of sexually transmitted infections and more sexual partners. Black adolescents reported more parental communication about sexual topics than Hispanic adolescents. Parental communication was associated with increased condom use. The results of this study emphasize the importance of parental communication in risk reduction among adolescents. As ethnicity emerged in the study as a significant factor, interventions aimed at increasing parent-adolescent communication will have to be tailored to address the needs of specific ethnic groups.

The aim of the study was to investigate behavioral and sociodemographic characteristics of a sample of 45 male adolescents with sexually transmitted diseases who attended family planning clinics. Low rates of compliance with follow-up care were noted. Only 13 (28.9%) males returned to the clinic for their scheduled appointments. Neither behavioral nor sociodemographic variables were related to compliance.