Gender Differences in Drug Use, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Risky Sexual Behavior Among Arrested Youths

Abstract

Data was collected on arrested youths processed at a centralized intake facility, including youths released back to the community and those placed in secure detention. This article reports the results of a test of a structural model involving newly arrested male and female youths' sexually transmitted diseases (STD) test results, urine analysis results for recent cocaine and marijuana use, and self-reported engaging in risky sexual behavior. The across-gender, multiple-group model involved (1) a confirmatory factor analysis of these variables, reflecting a latent variable labeled Risk, (2) a regression of Risk on the youths' age, and (3) an examination of the covariance between Risk and the youths' race and seriousness of arrest charge. Results indicate the youths' STD status, drug use, and reported risky sexual behavior are interrelated phenomena, similarly experienced across gender. Age was the only correlate of Risk status that demonstrated a significant gender group difference. The youths' race and seriousness of arrest charges did not significantly affect Risk, regardless of gender. Research and policy implications of the findings are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• juvenile offenders
• risky sexual behavior
• sexually transmitted disease
• substance use

Preparation of this article was supported by Grant # DA020346, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The authors are grateful for their support. However, the research results reported and the views expressed in the article do not necessarily imply any policy or research endorsement by our funding agency. We would also like to thank the Hillsborough County, Florida, Juvenile Assessment Center and the Hillsborough County Health Department. We are grateful for Dr. Bengt Muthén's advice on the analyses for this article.

Notes

Two tailed p-values: *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

Note: Analyses reported in this table include 504 males and 441 females. One female was missing age-of-first-arrest information.

Note: Descriptive information on these variables can be found in the narrative.

Two-tailed p-values: *p < .05 **p < .01 ***p < .001.

Note: Model fit statistics: χ² (6) = 3.81, p = 0.70; CFI = 1.000; TLI = 1.081; RMSEA = 0.000; WRMR = 0.755.

Two-tailed p-values: *p < .10 **p < .05 ***p < .01.

Under Florida law, youths 12 years of age or older are protected from disclosure to parents of STD test results, and do not need parental consent to receive an STD test.

Urine was also tested for the presence of amphetamines and opiates. Due to the low prevalence rates for these drugs (1.8% and 0.5%, respectively), however, these were excluded from the present analyses.