Social and Behavioral Correlates of STD Acquisition and Condom Use in a National Sample of Adolescents

Dawn Upchurch, University of California at Los Angeles
William M. Mason, University of California at Los Angeles

The contextual and behavioral influences of STD risk and condom use are investigated using data from the National Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). First, results for STD risk from the Add Health sample are compared with those obtained from CDC Surveillance data. Second, the extent to which STD history and condom use are jointly determined is tested. Lastly, the contributions of school characteristics, neighborhood and family background factors, and individual sociodemographic and behavioral attributes on STD risk and condom use are examined. School, neighborhood, and family effects for both STD and condom use are modest: teens living in neighborhoods with higher levels of youth idleness or who attend junior high school are significantly less likely to use condoms.