The association between substance use and risky sexual behaviors among middle school children

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine if there was a significant association between substance use and risky sexual behaviors among middle school children.

Methods: Data were collected in May 2002 using a questionnaire. A chi-square test was used for data analysis.

Results: The results showed that alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and tobacco use are strong predictors of risky sexual behaviors.

Conclusions: These findings will be of use to healthcare practitioners and health educators seeking to reduce the risk of infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases among the middle school children.

• Association
• substance use
• risky behaviors
• middle school children

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by a Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Award, 2G12RR03059-16, from the National Center for Research Resources, and Export Project Award from the National Center for Minority Health and Disparities, National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.