African–American youth are disproportionately affected by parental incarceration and the consequences of parental substance use. Many adapt to the loss of their parents to prison or drug addiction by engaging in sex-risk behavior, particularly the sex trade. These youth may engage in this risky behavior for a number of reasons. Although previous research has examined this issue, most of these studies have focused on runaway or street youth or youth in international settings. Empirical evidence on correlates of trading sex for money among urban African–American youth is practically missing. Using a sample of 192 African–American youth living in urban public housing, this paper attempts to rectify this gap in knowledge by assessing how individual and parental factors are related to the likelihood of a youth trading sex for money. The sample for this study reported a mean age of 19; 28 % reported having traded sex for money; 30 % had a father currently in prison; and 7 % reported having a mother currently in prison. Maternal incarceration and paternal substance use were associated with a higher likelihood of trading sex for money. Given the potential health risks associated with trading sex for money, understanding correlates of this behavior has important implications for the health of this vulnerable population of youth and urban health in general...

The study provides partial support for hypothesized relationship. Unlike previous research, individual level factors, age and gender, were not related to the dependent variable.^13–15 The fact that individual (i.e., age and gender) differences were not detected is an important finding, however. This unique none significant findings could be explained by males experiencing significantly more maternal alcohol and drug problems and also more maternal incarceration. Given the central role of maternal hardships in exchanging sex for money, this noted disparity in maternal hardship could have nullified gender differences that have been reported in other explorations. Conversely, in line with observations made in previous research (see²⁶), a youth’s behavior, e.g., ever tried alcohol was related to the likelihood of trading sex for money.^15,26 Having ever tried marijuana, in this sample, was not associated with the likelihood of having traded sex for money. Furthermore, mother’s presence in the home was inversely related to the likelihood of having had sex for money while father’s presence in the home had no significant effect on the behavior. It could be that for youth in compromised environments, a mother presence serves as a stabilizing factor, curbing involvement in health risk behavior. This observation is, in fact, in line with the premises of Family Stress Theory.⁴⁰ The same rationale could help explain the effect of mother’s current incarceration on the likelihood of trading in sex.

With respect to maternal alcohol problems, this behavior was not related to trading sex in sex. Conversely, father’s alcohol problem was related to having had sex for money. It could be that for youth in challenging environment, such as public housing, a mother’s alcohol problems may be seen as part of the daily routine, and hence may have little/no effect on functioning. A father’s alcohol problems, on the other hand, may be connected to other predicaments including marital discord and domestic violence, disrupting the home environment. Both maternal and paternal drug use were associated with a lower likelihood of having had sex for money. This observation is counterintuitive. Indeed, existing evidence suggests that substance use has potential to compromise a parent’s ability/capacity to supervise and support offspring, or to maintain a good home environment.⁴² The expectation, therefore, is that parental drug use would lead to a higher likelihood of trading in sex. Conversely, a youth adjusting to life in a challenging environment may assume roles parents are incapable of playing—adultification. Adultification may serve as a protective factor...⁴³

Table 3

Binary logistic regression—criterion: sex for money (n = 186)

	B	Wald	OR	p value
Demographic
Age	−.083	1.36	.920	.242
Gendera	−.617	1.49	.539	.221
Mother currently live in home	−.966	4.10	.381	.043
Father currently live in home	−.800	2.83	.449	.092
Individual factors
Have tried alcohol	1.63	6.66	5.14	.010
Have tried marijuana	.403	.532	1.49	.466
Family factors
Father has drug problem	−2.27	12.49	.103	.000
Father has alcohol problem	2.33	10.28	10.28	.001
Father currently incarcerated	.155	.091	1.16	.764
Mother has drug problem	−1.22	3.88	.292	.049
Mother has alcohol problem	−.508	.520	.603	.471
Mother currently incarcerated	2.32	4.68	10.21	.031
Chi-square (df)	58.37 (12)
−2 Log likelihood	162.058
Nagelkerke pseudo R 2	.388
Overall percentage correctly classified	83.3