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The present study tests the assumption that peers wield sufficient influence to induce sexual homophily (i.e., similarities in sexual experiences). Because girls face greater stigma for their sexual experiences than do boys, sexual homophily may be greater in girls' friendship networks than in boys'. Stochastic actor-based models were used to analyze network data (n = 2,566; ages 14-18) from two high schools in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Sexual homophily was present in friendship networks. Girls and boys were equally susceptible to their friends' influence, but the former exhibited a stronger preference for befriending same sexual debut status peers than the latter. The findings suggest that adolescents-particularly girls-"curate" their networks to minimize peer ostracism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to examine, in a nationally representative sample, relationships between various sexual initiation patterns, subsequent sexual partnerships, and related health outcomes from adolescence through early adulthood. Data were from a subset of 6587 respondents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Bivariate analyses and adjusted logistic and ordinary least squares regression models were used to determine associations between membership in three sexual initiation classes, lifetime sexual partner counts, and multiple health outcomes, including lifetime sexually transmitted infection or disease (STI/STD) diagnosis, lifetime unintended pregnancy, and romantic relationship quality. Broadly, having fewer lifetime sexual partners was associated with lower odds of STI/STD diagnosis and unintended pregnancy, and better relationship quality; however, findings also indicated both within and between sexual initiation class differences in the relationship between lifetime sexual partners and all three health outcomes. In particular, results showed little variation in health outcomes by sexual partnering among those who postponed sexual activity, but members of the class characterized by early and atypical sexual initiation patterns who had fewer lifetime partners exhibited better health outcomes than most other initiation groups. These results show that while both sexual initiation and partnering patterns add important information for understanding sexual health from adolescence to early adulthood, partnering may be more relevant to these sexual health outcomes. Findings indicate a need for more comprehensive sexuality education focused on sexual risk reduction and promotion of relationship skills among adolescents and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in sub-Saharan Africa is widespread. Theory and empirical evidence suggest peer networks may play an important role in shaping IPV perpetration, though research on this topic in the region is limited. We assessed the degree to which peer network gender norms are associated with Tanzanian men's perpetration of IPV and examined whether the social cohesion of peer networks moderates this relationship. Using baseline data from sexually active men (n = 1103) nested within 59 peer networks enrolled in an on-going cluster-randomized HIV and IPV prevention trial, we fit multilevel logistic regression models to examine peer network-level factors associated with past-year physical IPV perpetration. Peer network gender norms were significantly associated with men's risk of perpetrating IPV, even after adjusting for their own attitudes toward gender roles (OR = 1.53 , p =  . 04). Peer network social cohesion moderated this relationship (OR = 1.50 , p =  . 04); the positive relationship between increasingly inequitable (i.e., traditional) peer network gender norms and men's risk of perpetrating IPV became stronger, as peer network social cohesion increased. Characteristics of the peer network context are associated with men's IPV perpetration and should be targeted in future interventions. While many IPV prevention interventions focus on changing individual attitudes, our findings support a unique approach, focused on transforming the peer context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Few studies have sought to understand the typical sexual development of populations with physical disabilities in the United States, and those that do are often based on convenience samples or cross-sectional data. The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between physical disability and experiences of vaginal, oral, and anal sex in a nationally representative sample of individuals in the United States who have been followed from adolescence through early adulthood. Methods We used data from 13,456 respondents who completed Waves I (1994–1995) and IV (2008–2009) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Physical disabilities were identified and grouped by severity using information regarding limb difficulties, blindness, and deafness during adolescence. Analyses included bivariate statistics and adjusted logistic regression models relating physical disability and experiences of each type of sex. Results Respondents with the most severe physical disabilities had significantly lower odds of experiencing vaginal sex, oral sex, and having any sexual experience compared with the odds of those without disabilities. After stratifying by biological sex, we found that males with the most severe physical disabilities had significantly lower odds of experiencing any type of sex compared with the odds of males without disabilities, whereas females with moderate and severe physical disabilities had significantly lower odds of experiencing vaginal sex compared with the odds of females without disabilities. Conclusions Our findings build on past research often conducted with convenience samples or cross-sectional data, indicating variation in sexual experiences among populations with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have investigated the sexual development of populations with low cognitive abilities in the United States. This article examines the relationship between cognitive ability and various sexual experiences from adolescence (ages 12 to 18) to early adulthood (ages 28 to 34). Data were from 13,845 respondents interviewed at Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a probability sample of adolescents in the United States followed from adolescence to adulthood. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to study relationships between cognitive ability, approximated by the Add Health Picture Vocabulary Test (AHPVT), and experiences of vaginal, oral, and anal sex. After controlling for biological sex, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES), individuals in the lowest cognitive ability group had significantly lower odds of experiencing each type of sex than those in the average ability group. Although individuals in the highest cognitive ability group had significantly lower odds of experiencing vaginal intercourse than those in the average ability group, this association did not remain significant when analyses were stratified by biological sex. These differences in experiences have implications for future health and warrant further study to understand policy implications for sexual health services and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Using a clustered randomized controlled trial design, we evaluated whether support to keep Kenyan orphaned adolescents in school reduces the risk of HIV infection. Methods Participants included 835 orphaned boys and girls in grades 7 and 8 (mean age at the baseline = 15 years) in western Kenya. Primary schools (N = 26) were randomized to the study condition. Intervention participants received school uniforms, payment of tuition when they transitioned into high school, and nurse visits to monitor school absenteeism and provide assistance to stay in school. Annual surveys were conducted from 2011 through 2014, and HIV and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) biomarker data were collected at the baseline and the end line. Data were analyzed using survey logistic regression or generalized estimating equations controlling for age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Results Intervention and control groups were equivalent at the baseline and did not differ on new HIV or HSV-2 incidence at the end line. The school support intervention increased school retention but had few HIV-related effects, except increased circumcision among male participants and reduced likelihood of transactional sex. Conclusions Despite a strong study design, we found no relative reduction in HIV or HSV-2 infection after 3 years of intervention implementation. New incidence of HIV was lower than expected in this region among youth whose average age at end line was 18 years (range = 14–23). Although support for secondary school promises many benefits for vulnerable youth, our study adds to the growing body of research showing weak evidence for its effectiveness as an HIV prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Relative to on-time or late-maturing peers, girls who begin puberty early typically begin romantic and sexual experiences earlier; however, advanced pubertal status does not necessarily coincide with commensurate interpersonal skills necessary for healthy romantic relationships. Research is limited on the long-term implications of early puberty for relationship quality, and virtually nothing is known about the social implications of early timing for sexual minority females. Methods Using linear regression, we examine longitudinal associations between two measures of girls' pubertal timing (self-perceived timing and menarcheal age) and romantic relationship quality in young adulthood, stratified by sexual orientation, among 5,568 females in waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. We also examine whether identified associations are mediated by parent-adolescent relationship quality. Results Among sexual minorities, early self-perceived pubertal timing was associated with lower adult romantic relationship quality compared with on-time maturers (β = −2.32; standard error = 1.44; p = .05); this association was mediated by parent-adolescent relationship quality. Among heterosexuals, girls experiencing menarche before age 12 (early maturers) reported lower adult relationship quality compared to on-time maturers (β = −.43; standard error = .22; p = .03); parent-adolescent relationship quality did not mediate this association. Conclusions Early maturation is associated with lower romantic relationship quality in young adulthood. However, evidence of the association varies by measure of pubertal timing, and the processes by which pubertal timing is linked to later relationship quality may be different for sexual minority and heterosexual females. Potential explanations and public health implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child mortality is one of the most pressing global health and policy issues in the developing world. The leading drivers of death-pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria-are preventable and treatable. However, these illnesses are exacerbated by a lack of accessible nutrition, water, basic and preventive health services, and sanitary living conditions-all factors which are more likely to disproportionately impact the poor. We examine whether Kenya's largest social protection impacts children's incidence of upper respiratory illness. The Kenya Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children was designed to support orphans affected by HIV/AIDS and has covered over 240,000 households as of 2014. Using longitudinal, cluster-randomized program data from 2007 to 2009, we run a generalized linear latent and mixed method estimation model on a sample of children 0-7 years and under-5 years of age. We find that the program is associated with a decrease in illness in children 0-7 years of age (P < 0.05), but found no effects on a stratified sample of under-5 children. Furthermore, no impacts on health care seeking in the event of illness were detected. This study is one of few examining children's health using data from a large scale unconditional cash transfer program. With the widespread adoption of over 123 cash transfer programs across sub-Saharan Africa, these findings suggest social cash transfer programs are capable of promoting the multidimensional well-being for the world's most vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of masculinity and femininity on behaviors and outcomes has been extensively studied in social science research using various measurement strategies. In the present paper, we describe and evaluate a measurement technique that uses existing survey items to capture the extent to which an individual behaves similarly to their same-gender peers. We use data from the first four waves of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents (age 12-18) in the United States who were re-interviewed at ages 13-19, 18-26, and 24-32. We estimate split-half reliability and provide evidence that supports the validity of this measurement technique. We demonstrate that the resulting measure does not perform as a trait measure and is associated with involvement in violent fights, a pattern consistent with theory and empirical findings. This measurement technique represents a novel approach for gender researchers with the potential for expanding our current knowledge base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cash transfer programmes have recently emerged as promising interventions for HIV prevention among adolescents in Africa. However, the pathways through which risk reduction occurs are not well understood. We examine data on 1429 adolescents and youth from the Kenya Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, which has been shown to result in delayed sexual debut among adolescents. We explored three potential mediating pathways: schooling, socio-economic status and psycho-social status. None of these hypothesised mediators greatly altered the main effect. However, school attendance had a larger protective effect on sexual debut among females but was only increased by the programme among males. This gendered pattern of effects may explain why we did not see a mediating effect of the cash transfer through schooling, despite schooling's protective effects against early sexual debut. Results also suggest that cash transfer programmes in Africa can contribute to the reduction of HIV related risk behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]