Sexual Relationship Power and HIV Risk Behavior in Adolescent Girls

描述（由申请人提供）：处于暴力或控制关系中的少女可能面临更高的艾滋病毒和性传播感染风险。当伴侣比他们大两岁或两岁以上时，他们发生关系暴力或权力不平衡的风险可能会更大。本研究的目的是测试性关系权力和亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）和艾滋病毒风险相关的性行为在一个样本的风险青春期女孩之间的相关性的模型。该模型是从布兰克的证据为基础的框架，评估性别权力关系和生殖健康之间的关系，在人口权力失衡的风险。具体而言，本研究旨在调查14-18岁的青春期女孩中，性伴侣年龄不一致超过两年与高风险性行为的关系，以及性关系权力和IPV在这种关系中的中介作用。一个横断面的，描述性的，调查设计将被用来评估模型的建议预测性风险的青春期女孩。数据将从150名性活跃的青春期女孩在城市学校为基础的健康中心，在低收入社区收集。数据收集将通过自我管理，计算机辅助调查，促进健康，这将分析响应和格式的健康信息，转诊，并具体到个人参与者的资源报告。将分析数据的人口统计学变量的主要影响，包括青春期女孩的年龄、种族/民族和文化适应状态以及身体或性虐待史。如果确定了主效应，则将在回归分析中控制这些因素。通过多元回归分析，确定性关系权力和IPV作为伴侣年龄不一致和高危性行为之间关系的中介作用。将进行子分析，以进一步研究变量之间的相关性，例如性关系权力和IPV。建议的研究问题是至关重要的，在解决需要早期干预预防艾滋病毒/性传播疾病的青春期女孩，谁是高风险的IPV和增长最快的群体之一感染艾滋病毒和其他性传播疾病。了解浪漫关系中权力不平衡的普遍性和影响对于制定减少艾滋病毒、其他性传播感染和IPV的战略至关重要。如果关系因素，如年龄不一致，相对权力，和暴力增加的风险青春期女孩的性风险行为的可能性，这方面的知识可以用来塑造临床风险评估中提出的问题，并制定预防干预措施和公共卫生政策。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Adolescent girls in violent or controlling relationships are likely to be at higher risk for HIV and STIs. Their risk of relationship violence or power imbalances may be greater when the partner is two or more years older. The purpose of this study is to test a proposed model of the correlations between sexual relationship power and intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV risk related sexual behaviors in a sample of at-risk adolescent girls. The model is derived from Blanc's evidence-based framework for assessing the relationship between gender power relations and reproductive health in populations as risk for power imbalances. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the relationship of sexual partners' age discordance of more than two years to high-risk sexual behavior, in adolescent girls ages 14-18, as well as the mediating role of sexual relationship power and IPV in that relationship. A cross-sectional, descriptive, survey design will be used to evaluate the model of Proposed Predictors of Sexual Risk in Adolescent Girls. Data will be collected from 150 sexually active adolescent girls at an urban school-based health center, in a low-income neighborhood. Data collection will be done via a self-administered, computer-assisted survey, Promote Health, which will analyze responses and format a report with health information, referrals, and resources specific to the individual participant. Data will be analyzed for main effects of demographic variables, including age of adolescent girl, race/ethnicity and acculturation status, and history of physical or sexual abuse. If main effects are determined, then these factors will be controlled for in regression analysis. The role of sexual relationship power and IPV as mediators of the relationship among partner age discordance and high risk sexual behaviors will be determined through multiple regression analysis. Sub-analyses will be conducted to further investigate the correlations among variables, for example sexual relationship power and IPV. The proposed research questions are critical in addressing the needs for early intervention in HIV/STD prevention for adolescent girls, who are at high risk for IPV and one of the fastest growing groups infected with HIV and other STIs. Understanding the prevalence and effects of power imbalances in romantic relationships is essential in developing strategies to reduce HIV, other STIs, and IPV. If relationship factors, such as age discordance, relative power, and violence increase the likelihood of sexual risk behaviors in at-risk adolescent girls, this knowledge can be used to shape questions asked in clinical risk assessment, and to develop prevention interventions and public health policy.