Sexual Health Risk Behavior Disparities Among Male and Female Adolescents Using Identity and Behavior Indicators of Sexual Orientation

V. Paul Poteat, Stephen T. Russell, Alexis Dewaele

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sexual minority adolescent sexual risk behavior studies often overlook young women, do not consider behavior- and identity-based sexual orientation indicators in combination, and focus mainly on condomless sex. We examined multiple risk behaviors in a large sample of adolescent young men and women using combined behavior- and identity-based indices. The 2015 Dane County Youth Assessment data included 4734 students in 22 high schools who had ever voluntarily engaged in sexual contact (51.7% male; 76.0% White, non-Hispanic). Items assessed having sex with unfamiliar partners, sex while using substances, using protection, and STI testing. Logistic regressions tested for disparities based on combined identity- and behavior-based sexual orientation indicators. For both young men and women, youth who reported heterosexual or questioning identities—but who had sex with same-sex partners—were at consistently greater risk than heterosexual youth with only different-sex partners. Also, for both young men and women, bisexuals with partners of both sexes more consistently reported higher risk than heterosexual youth than did bisexuals with only different-sex partners. Risk behavior for gay young men who had sex only with men mirrored those in extant literature. Risk levels differed for specific groups of sexual minority young women, thus deserving further attention. Findings underscore the need for sexual health research to consider sexual orientation in a more multidimensional manner.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1087-1097
Number of pages11
JournalArchives of Sexual Behavior
Volume48
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2019

Keywords

  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning youth
  • Sexual health behavior
  • Sexual orientation
  • Sexually transmitted infections

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • General Psychology

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