UNITED STATES: The Association Between Gang Involvement and Sexual Behaviours Among Detained Adolescent Males

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

UNITED STATES: The Association Between Gang Involvement and Sexual Behaviours Among Detained Adolescent Males

Sexually Transmitted Infections (12.04) Vol. 80; No. 6: P. 440-442 - Friday, December 17, 2004
D.R. Voisin; L.F. Salazar; R. Crosby; R.J. DiClemente; W.L Yarber; M. Staples-Horne

In the current study, the authors sought to determine the association between ever having been in a gang and a range of sexual behaviors including sexual activity, male condom use, drug use during sex and sex with multiple partners. A total of 270 detained male adolescents (ages 14-18) were surveyed using audio computer assisted self-interviewing procedures. Demographic and family factors, history of gang membership and sexual behaviors were assessed.

"Multiple logistic regression analyses, controlling for demographic, socioeconomic status, and family factors, indicated that adolescents who reported having been in a gang, relative to their peers reporting no gang involvement, were 5.7 times more likely to have had sex, 3.2 times more likely to have got a girl pregnant, and almost four times more likely to have been 'high' on alcohol or other drugs during sexual intercourse, have had sex with a partner who was 'high' on alcohol or other drugs, or have had sex with multiple partners concurrently," reported the authors.

The study's findings indicate "that having been in a gang can discriminate between levels of STI associated risk behaviours among an otherwise high risk population - detained adolescents," the researchers concluded.
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