Development of a scored adolescent risk assessment

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RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT HEALTH Vol. 18, No.2

EARLY INITIATION OF SEXUALACTIVITY:THE ROLE OF PEER NORMS. SB Kinsman.D Romer, FE Furstenberg.DE Schwarz. UniversityQ.l pennsylvania. Philadelphia OBJECTIVE: Early Initiation of sexual activity is associated with serioushealth risks and detrimentalsoclal consequencesforyoung adolescents, Efforts to alterthe trend of early Initiationhave focused on changing Individualadolescents' knOWledge and skills. These effortshave had limitedsuccess. Behavioralchangetheories stress the importanceof understandingand addressingpeer norms In motivatingand sustainingbehavioralchange. Our objectiveswere toassess the associationofperceived normsand sexualbehaviorInyoungadolescents. DESIGN: A cross-sectionalsurveyof6th studentswas conductedin 17schoolslocatedin two ethnicallydiverse urban communities. After a passive parental consentprocedure, 2116 students (86% of the eligible population) completed a confidential selfadministeredquestionnaireInOctober, 1994. The questionnairewas based on theMiddle School Youth Risk BehaviorSurvey and includedquestionsto evaluate peer norms and peerinfluence, RESULTS: Eighty-threepercent of the studentswere between 11 and 12 yrs ofage, 64% were AfricanAmerican, 17% Caucasian, 5% Latino, and 2% Asian. Twenty-fiveof the populationreported having had sexual intercourse, When asked about peers, 26% reported "most"peers had had sexual intercourse. 37% reported "some,"and 34% "none." In univariate analysis, students who were sexually active were significantly more likelythan those who were notsexuallyactive to report having friends who were sexually experienced(93% vs. 52%), to believe that sexual experienced 12 yr oldgirls gain increased respect (30% vs. 20%), and to be associatedwith neighborhood-based peer groups (23% vs. 33%). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that studentswho were older, believed thatmost of theirpeers were sexually experienced and that girls who were sexually experienced gained respect were more likely to be sexuallyactive. CONCLUSIONS: Both sexually-experiencedand non-sexually-experiencedadolescents view early sexual behavior as common and theirattitudes reflect tolerance of early sexual behavior. Normativebeliefs and peer group associationappear to ba Important factorsinInfluencingthe timingofearlysexual iniliation.

DEVELOPMENT OF A SCORED ADOLESCENT RISK ASSESSMENT Kathaleen Perkins MD. Norman Ferrari MD. Angela Rosas MD. Hatim Omar MD. Uoxanne Bessette BS. West Virginia University, Morgantown , WV. OBJECTIVE: to develop a comprehensive, brief and objective risk assessment to be included in routine adolescent visits to provide time for guidance and impetus for intervention. BACKGROUND: A biopGychosocial history previously used here for adolescent patients revealed significant numbers of problems not otherwise disclosed in a routine medical visit such as 13% pri~r abuse, 32% family problems but time-stUdy (35±9 min.)precluded general use. DESIGN: The Risk Score devised is a single sheet grid with a row of 16 categories followed by 3 columns of phrases which the provider circles indicating Nc Risk, Mod.Risk or High Risk.(scoring 0,1,2 respectively). The categories are: body mass index, nutrition, exercise, tobacco use, drug use, alcohol abuse, sexual activity , school problems, depression, prior abuse, violence, safety, friends t family dysfuncti.on and selfperception. RESULT: The resulting Adolescent Risk Assessment takes 8.12 min. to administer, is considerably shorter than the previous biopsyChosocial histcry ::; 5±9 min. yet covers all the same topics. It is more inclusive than similar screening programs stUdied: AKA Guidelin