Racial differences in age at first sexual intercourse: residential racial segregation and the black-white disparity among U.S. adolescents.

Objectives: The age of adolescents at first sexual intercourse is an important risk factor for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and adolescent pregnancy. Black adolescents are at higher risk than white adolescents for first sexual intercourse at younger ages as well as STDs and pregnancy. Individual- and family-level factors do not fully explain this disparity.

Psychosocial risk factors for HIV sexual risk among Indian men who have sex with men.

Indian men who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk for HIV compared to the general Indian population. Psychosocial factors may be uniquely associated with HIV risk among Indian MSM and may moderate the beneficial impact of standard HIV prevention approaches. Psychiatric diagnostic interviews and psychosocial and sexual risk assessments were conducted among 150 MSM in Mumbai, India.

Residential racial segregation and racial differences in sexual behaviours: an 11-year longitudinal study of sexual risk of adolescents transitioning to adulthood.

Background: Determining the underlying causes of racial disparities in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is important. In the USA, rates of the most common STIs range from 5 to 20 times higher for African-Americans compared to Caucasians, and the health consequences of STIs can be serious. Residential racial segregation results in very different contexts for individuals and may be an important determinant of sexual risk.

Multiple chlamydia infection among young women: comparing the role of individual- and neighbourhood-level measures of socioeconomic status.

Background: Young women have the highest burden of chlamydia infections, and socioeconomic disparities exist. Individual-level measures of socioeconomic status (SES) may be difficult to assess for young women. The authors examined whether neighbourhood SES provides a useful measure in comparison with individual-level SES with respect to the burden of multiple chlamydia diagnoses.

Tobacco education and counseling in obstetrics and gynecology clerkships: a survey of medical school program directors.

The 16,000 medical students completing OB/GYN clerkship programs each year provide a unique opportunity to motivate and mentor students in facilitating tobacco cessation. To determine the scope of current tobacco teaching in obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) education at US medical schools and to assess opportunities for including new tobacco teaching, a 28-question survey was administered to directors and assistant directors at US medical school OB/GYN clerkship programs. Surveys were completed at 71% of schools.

Effect of teenage parenthood on mental health trajectories: does sex matter?

Rates of teenage pregnancy and parenthood in the United States remain high. Although many consequences of teenage parenthood have been well studied, little prospective research has examined its effect on mental health. This study aims to better understand the impact of teenage parenthood on mental health and to determine whether sex modifies this relation.

Economic dependence and unprotected sex: the role of sexual assertiveness among young urban mothers.

In the USA, sexual intercourse is the leading route of human immunodeficiency virus transmission among women, primarily through their main partner. Because male condom use is not directly under a woman's control, gender inequalities may help shape this sexual risk behavior. To examine this association, data came from follow-up interviews of young, primarily minority, pregnant women enrolled in a prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Racial disparities in age at preventable hospitalization among U.S. Adults.

Background: Similar to the well-documented racial inequities in health status, disease burden, healthcare access, and hospitalization, studies have generally found higher rates of hospitalization resulting from ambulatory care-sensitive conditions for blacks compared to whites. Beyond identifying disparity in rates of disease or risks of hospitalization, identifying disparity in age at hospitalization may provide deeper insight into the social and economic effects of disparities on individuals, families, and communities.

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to evaluate potential racial disparities in age of preventable hospitalizations as measured by ambulatory care-sensitive conditions.

Like father, like son: the intergenerational cycle of adolescent fatherhood.

Objectives: Strong evidence exists to support an intergenerational cycle of adolescent fatherhood, yet such a cycle has not been studied. We examined whether paternal adolescent fatherhood (i.e.

Rates of skin cancer screening and prevention counseling by US medical residents.

Objective: To determine factors related to residents' self-reported skill level for the skin cancer examination (SCE).

Design: Survey of residents in November 2003.

Setting: Four US residency programs.