All Military Adolescents Are Not the Same: Sexuality and Substance Use among Adolescents in the U.S. Military Healthcare System

Data examining sexuality and substance use among active duty and military-dependent youth is limited; however, these psychosocial factors have military implications. 

Adolescents and young adults aged 12–23 were recruited from an active-duty trainee clinic (n = 225) and a military pediatric clinic (n = 223). Active duty participants were more likely to be older, male, White, previous tobacco users, and report a history of sexual activity and less contraception use at their most recent intercourse, compared to the dependent group. 

Over 10% of all participants indicated attraction to members of the same gender or both genders. In logistic regression analysis, non-White participants were less likely to use contraception compared to White participants. Adolescents and young adults seen in military clinics frequently engage in high-risk behavior. 

Clinicians who care for military youth should assess their patient’s psychosocial history. Further study of this population is warranted to identify factors that may influence risk and resilience

Below:  Use of contraception at last intercourse among participants aged 15–19: U.S. military population and National Survey of Family Growth. Blue Bars: Data from study population, n = 159. Red Bars: Data from National Survey of Family Growth 2006–2010, n = 6,145.

Below:  Risk behaviors among patients who indicated history of sexual intercourse in military adolescent clinics

Full article at: http://goo.gl/NDtWLP

By:

David A. Klein

Department of Family Medicine, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, VA, United States of America

David A. Klein, William P. Adelman

Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States of America

Amy M. Thompson

Department of Pediatrics, San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Richard G. Shoemaker

Clinical Investigations, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, VA, United States of America

Jane Shen-Gunther

Department of Clinical Investigation and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, United States of America

  

More at:  https://twitter.com/hiv_insight