Social Messages and Teen Sexual Health: Voices of Urban African American Youth

University Of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN

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Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Teen pregnancy and childbearing have negative social consequences for adolescents, for their children, and for society. Pregnant teens are less likely to receive adequate prenatal care and more likely to give birth to low-birth weight infants. Teen mothers are at increased risk of school drop out and chronic poverty. Children of teen mothers tend to be hospitalized more often, have more chronic health problems, and more behavioral problems. Teenage childbearing is also associated with high costs for society. In Minneapolis, the majority of long-term welfare recipients are families that began with a teen birth, and these families account for a large percentage of the most costly families supported by the state. The goal of the proposed study is to explore from the perspectives of low-income, urban African American young women how social messages influenced their perceptions and experiences of sexual behavior and childbearing as adolescents. The following aims guide the proposed study: I. Compare sources and content of social messages regarding adolescent sexual behavior and pregnancy from the perspectives of urban, low-income African American young women who have and have not given birth during adolescence II. Describe ways in which social messages received during adolescence influenced participants' sexual behaviors and beliefs about pregnancy timing. Findings from this study will contribute to understanding the ways in which social contexts influence the sexual health of urban, low-income African American girls. The perspectives and experiences of these young women can be utilized to guide culturally and socially relevant research, policy and interventions to address significant racial disparities in adolescent childbearing and associated public health outcomes. The proposed study will use a focused ethnography approach. Focus groups and individual interviews will be conducted with a purposive, nominated sample of twelve African American young women ages 18 to 22. These young women will be asked to reflect upon their adolescence. In addition, field notes will be recorded. The proposed study will be conducted with the guidance of established community consultants. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]