Hispanic Men in the United States: Acculturation and Recent Sexual Behaviors With Female Partners, 2006-2010

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Acculturation, and Risky Sexual Behaviors in Hispanic Young Adults: Findings from Project RED

While adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are well-documented predictors of maladaptive behaviors in adulthood, including risky sexual behaviors (RSB), the influence of acculturation in this association remains unknown. Although Hispanics are a rapidly growing population in the United States and are disproportionately affected by adverse sexual health outcomes, there is a paucity of research examining the interplay of ACE, acculturation, and RSB in this population. We observed the ACE-RSB association and how this relationship varies across U.S. and Hispanic acculturation levels, in a sample of Hispanic young adults (n = 715). Data for this study were from Project RED, a longitudinal study of Hispanic health. We ran regression models to test associations between ACE (0, 1-3, 4+) and several RSB (e.g., early sexual initiation (≤14 years), condomless sex, lifetime sexual partners, and alcohol/drug use before intercourse), and assessed moderation by U.S./Hispanic acculturation. Compared with those without ACE, individuals with 4 + ACE had higher odds of early sexual initiation (AOR: 2.23), alcohol/drug use before last intercourse (AOR: 2.31), and condomless sex (AOR: 1.66), as well as a higher number of lifetime sexual partners (β: 0.60). For those reporting 4 + ACE, high U.S. acculturation was protective in the association between ACE and using alcohol/drugs before intercourse. Future research implications are discussed.

"It was protected, except, it wasn't [with] a condom": a mixed-methods study of BBVs/STIs protective practices among International University Students in Sydney, Australia

BACKGROUND

A number of previous sex-related studies among international students in Australia and other Western societies may be limited by conflating students from conservative and non-conservative sexual backgrounds. Such conflation leads to situations where nuances and complexities around sex-related experiences are lost or, at most, tangentially investigated. To address this research problem, this study used a mixed-methods design to examine protective practices against blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections (BBVs/STIs) among Sydney-based East Asian and sub-Saharan African international students.

METHODS

This mixed-methods study generated quantitative data using anonymous online survey (n = 149), and qualitative data through in-depth interviews (n = 20). The main recruitment strategy involved advertising the study through paper and electronic flyers. Quantitative data were analysed using logistic regression, while interviews data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Self-reported BBVs/STIs protective practices in the last 12 months include abstinence (28.7%), consistent condom use (19.9%), occasional condom use (18.7%), single partner fidelity (25.1%), other strategies (1.8%), and nothing (5.8%). Further, findings from the bivariate analysis showed higher BBVs/STIs prevention knowledge, lower acculturation into Australian sexual culture, greater access to sexual health information, less conservative sexual norms, greater emotional social support and older age were significantly associated with increased protective practices. Variables significant at bivariate level were entered into a logistic regression. The model was statistically significant, (X²(6) = 31.33, p < 0.01) and explained 33.1% of the variance in BBVs/STIs protective practices. However, only acculturation to sexual norms in Australia (OR = 0.883, 95% CI = 0.820-0.952) was found to be independent predictor of BBVs/STIs protective practices. The results of the study based on the quantitative data, indicated condom use (consistent and occasional) was the most reported BBVs/STIs protective behaviour among sexually active participants. Therefore, interviews data was used to explore condom-use motives and practices. The interviews results showed participants primary concern as regards condom use was around pregnancy and not BBVs/STIs. Thus, some participants described safe sex largely as contraception, with BBVs/STIs constituting a secondary concern or no concern at all.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of this study, tailored sexual health interventions for international students; which incorporate strategies for modifying perceived sexual norms in Australia, are advocated. In addition, this study recommends sexual health interventions that promote dual protection of condoms for both contraception and BBVs/STIs.

Longitudinal associations of parent-child communication, dating behaviors, decision-making processes, and sex initiation among United States Latina/o adolescents

Objective

This study examined differences and identified developmental predictors of oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse initiation across generational status among Latina/o adolescents of both genders. More specifically, we compare generational status and gender differences in the longitudinal predictions from parent-child sex communication and dating behaviors to sex initiation 5 years later, and how these associations may be mediated by perceived peer norms, intentions, and attitudes regarding sex among Latina/o adolescents.

Methods

Using prospective longitudinal data from the Healthy Passages™ project collected in Houston and Los Angeles, Latina/o girls (n = 879) and boys (n = 885) who were identified as 1st- (18%), 2nd- (58%), or 3rd (24%)-immigrant generational status reported on their dating behaviors and parent-child communication about sex at 5th grade (M age = 11.12 years), their perceived peer norms and attitudes regarding sex at 7th grade (M age = 13.11 years), and if they had initiated oral, vaginal, or anal sexual intercourse by 10th grade (M age = 16.06 years).

Results

Third-generation Latina girls were more likely than 1st- and 2nd-generation Latinas to have initiated sexual intercourse by 10th grade. More advanced dating behaviors in 5th grade had a positive association with sex initiation for all generational status groups among Latino boys, but only among 1st-generation Latina girls. Moreover, mediating decision-making processes of peer norms and attitudes differed for each group.

Conclusion

Pre-adolescent dating behaviors are associated with long-term differences in adolescents' sexual behaviors, which may point to targets for prevention efforts. Acculturation differences may contribute to different ways in which adolescents decide to engage in sexual intercourse based on the previous dating experiences.

Aging into disadvantage: Disability crossover among Mexican immigrants in America

The "Hispanic paradox" refers to the accepted finding that Mexican immigrants have lower mortality compared to the US-born population, despite having lower levels of income, educational attainment, and health insurance coverage. However, Mexican immigrants' mortality advantage is not matched by lower disability rates, particularly later in the life course. Past studies have identified a crossover in disability rates for Mexican immigrants using age-specific disability rates but confound the effects of aging and duration of residence. By using the synthetic cohort method, I extend prior work on the disability crossover by tracing immigrant cohorts across the life course and disentangling newly arrived immigrants from those already established in the U.S. I use American Community Survey (ACS) 2015-2019 data to test whether the acculturation or cumulative disadvantage hypotheses account for the disability crossover. I find that, contrary to the expected finding of a socioeconomic health gradient in disability rates, Mexican immigrants' high disability rates converge regardless of education level or immigrant cohort. In addition, Mexican female immigrants are doubly disadvantaged, living in a protracted period of disability compared to males of the same education level. My findings support the negative health acculturation hypothesis as the dominant pathway for Mexican immigrants' later-life disability trajectories and consequently the explanation behind the disability crossover.

Acculturation as a Moderator of HIV Risk Behavior Correlates Among Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men

Acculturation is associated with increased sexual risk behaviors among heterosexual Latinos, but its influence among Latino gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) remains less clear. Elements of acculturation may create distinct lived experiences among sexual minority Latinos, moderating how beneficial and adverse influences contribute to their sexual risk behaviors. Latino MSM living in New York City (n = 412) were recruited using a modified time-space venue- and web-based sampling method. Negative binomial regression models estimated associations between indicators of acculturation (i.e., language use, nativity status, ethnic identification), sexual minority stressors (i.e., internalized homophobia, sexual orientation-based discrimination), peer condom use norms, and the number of serodiscordant condomless anal intercourse (SDCAI) encounters. Acculturation indicators were then tested as simultaneous moderators of the influence of each predictor variable on the outcome. The association between internalized homophobia and SDCAI was significant only among English language speakers (aIRR = 3.05 [2.13, 4.37]) and those born outside of the U.S. (foreign-born = 0, aIRR = 0.17 [0.08, 0.36]). Sexual orientation-based discrimination and SDCAI were also positively associated among both English-speaking (aIRR = 1.82 [1.22, 2.72]) and foreign-born men (aIRR = 0.34 [0.14, 0.84]). Stronger ethnic identification also moderated the protective effects of peer condom use norms on SDCAI (aIRR = 0.28 [0.15, 0.52]). Results suggest that different dimensions of acculturation help shape how both stressors and protective factors influence HIV risk among Latino MSM. Future research is needed to examine the mechanisms through which these differences in acculturation may act on sexual risk behaviors among Latino MSM.

Immigrant Generational Differences in Social Support and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Seattle, Washington

Different immigrant generations may encounter distinct sexual opportunities with implications for HIV transmission. Yet, few studies have examined how immigrant generational status is associated with sexual risk behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM). We explored relationships between immigrant generational status, social support, and sexual risk behaviors among English-speaking MSM using data from surveys conducted in Seattle, Washington, in 2014 (n = 323). We compared the sexual risk behaviors and social support of first-generation, second-generation, and third- and higher-generation MSM, and examined whether immigrant generational status and social support were associated with sexual risk behaviors using logistic regression models. Second-generation MSM reported lower friend social support than first- or third- and higher-generation MSM (p < .05). However, immigrant generational status was not associated with sexual risk behavior outcomes, even after accounting for social support. Results suggest that differences in immigration processes such as acculturation may be more predictive of risk behaviors than generational status alone.

Sexual Health and Language Dominance Among Hispanic/Latino Women and Men: Analysis of a Nationally Representative Sample

This study assessed the prevalence of sexual behaviors among a nationally representative sample of Latino men and women in the United States (US) (N = 432) including Spanish language data collection. Prior studies of sexual health among US Latinos have consisted of convenience samples, and focused mainly on assessing risk behaviors. We consider a broader range of sexual behaviors, subjective sexual experiences (e.g. pleasure and arousal), and STI testing behaviors. Analyses by language dominance and gender indicate a higher variability in sexual behaviors for English-dominant participants and a link between overall STI testing to regular medical examinations, especially women. Higher rates of pleasure, orgasms and arousal was reported by Spanish-dominant men and women, relative to the English-dominant group. Results represent a nuanced examination of internal differentiation among US Latinos and provides applicable data for reducing sexual health disparities in this population.