Risky sexual behavior and STI testing among teens experiencing homelessness

McKenna Halverson, Danielle R. Hatchimonji, Dan Treglia, Claire A. Flatley, Janette E. Herbers and J.J. Cutuli

Children and Youth Services Review, 2022, vol. 139, issue C

Abstract: Teens who experience homelessness are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, though less is reliably known about sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing rates in this group. We tested for differences in sexual behaviors and STI/HIV testing based on student homelessness and intersecting factors using data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered in 7 states and 3 school districts. Students who experienced homelessness were more likely to report risky sexual behavior. Race moderated this link, suggesting that Asian students who experienced homelessness were at greater risk. Homelessness was linked to a greater likelihood of having been tested for STIs/HIV among those who seemed to be in groups recommended for testing. Student sex and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity did not moderate associations between homelessness and risky sexual behavior or STI/HIV testing. The overall sample demonstrated low STI testing rates, indicating a continued need to improve testing rates for all youth at risk for STIs/HIV.

Keywords: Student homelessness; Sexual risk taking; STI testing; HIV testing; Sexual behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740922001748
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:139:y:2022:i:c:s0190740922001748

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106538

Access Statistics for this article

Children and Youth Services Review is currently edited by Duncan Lindsey

More articles in Children and Youth Services Review from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().