Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Engagement in sexual activity among Haitian youth is increasing. The present cross-sectional study examined the independent correlates of sexual risk behaviors among 200 (108 male/92 female) 13–18 year-old adolescents in Port-au-Prince, Haiti using face-to-face interviews. The majority (60.0 %) had engaged in sexual intercourse. Multivariate modeling found males to be 3.52 times more likely to have had sex, 5.42 times more likely to report sexual debut before age 14, 9.75 times more likely to have >1 sexual partner, and 3.33 times more likely to not have used a condom during last sex. Adolescents living with parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles were less likely to report having unprotected sex compared with those without adult family members in the home (AOR range 0.26–0.51). The high prevalence of risky sex among males and the protective influence of stable family cohesiveness have important implications for HIV prevention efforts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. UNDP. Haiti: 2012 statistical update. Human development reports. 2012.

  2. Pan American Health Organization WHO. Haiti Earthquake 2010—one year later. 2011. http://www.who.int/hac/crises/hti/haiti_special_report_16february2010.pdf. Accessed April 4, 2013.

  3. McFarlane AC. Family functioning and overprotection following a natural disaster: the longitudinal effects of post-traumatic morbidity. Aust Psychiatry. 1987;21(2):210–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. UNAIDS. Caribbean AIDS epidemic update: regional summary. 2012. http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/haiti/. Accessed April 4, 2013.

  5. Dorjgochoo T, Noel F, Deschamps MM, et al. Risk factors for HIV infection among Haitian adolescents and young adults seeking counseling and testing in Port-au-Prince. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2009;52(4):498–508.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Gaillard EM, Boulos LM, Andre Cayemittes MP, et al. Understanding the reasons for decline of HIV prevalence in Haiti. Sex Transm Infect. 2006;82(Suppl 1):14–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Hallett TB, Aberle-Grasse J, Bello G, et al. Declines in HIV prevalence can be associated with changing sexual behaviour in Uganda, urban Kenya, Zimbabwe, and urban Haiti. Sex Transm Infect. 2006;82(Suppl 1):i1–8.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Devieux JG, Rosenberg R, Saint-Jean G, Bryant VE, Malow RM. The continuing challenge of reducing HIV risk among Haitian youth: the need for intervention. J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2013. doi:10.1177/2325957411418119.

  9. Holschneider SO, Alexander CS. Social and psychological influences on HIV preventive behaviors of youth in Haiti. J Adolesc Health Off Publ Soc Adolesc Med. 2003;33(1):31–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Dunkle KL, Jewkes RK, Brown HC, et al. Prevalence and patterns of gender-based violence and revictimization among women attending antenatal clinics in Soweto, South Africa. Am J Epidemiol. 2004;160(3):230–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hunter LM, Reid-Hresko J, Dickinson T. Environmental change, risky sexual behavior, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic: linkages through livelihoods in rural Haiti. Popul Res Policy Rev. 2011;30(5):729–50.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Fitzgerald DW, Behets F, Caliendo A, et al. Economic hardship and sexually transmitted diseases in Haiti’s rural Artibonite Valley. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2000;62(4):496–501.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. St Lawrence JS. African-American adolescents’ knowledge, health-related attitudes, sexual behavior, and contraceptive decisions: implications for the prevention of adolescent HIV infection. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1993;61(1):104–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Malow RM, Devieux JG, Jennings T, Lucenko BA, Kalichman SC. Substance-abusing adolescents at varying levels of HIV risk: psychosocial characteristics, drug use, and sexual behavior. J Subst Abuse. 2001;13(1–2):103–17.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Maharaj RG, Nunes P, Renwick S. Health risk behaviours among adolescents in the English-speaking Caribbean: a review. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2009;3(1):10.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. McNeely C, Falci C. School connectedness and the transition into and out of health-risk behavior among adolescents: a comparison of social belonging and teacher support. J Sch Health. 2004;74(7):284–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Zimet GD, Dahlem N, Zimet S, Farley G. The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. J Pers Assess. 1988;52(1):30–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Canty-Mitchell J, Zimet GD. Psychometric properties of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support in urban adolescents. Am J Community Psychol. 2000;28(3):391–400.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Zimet GD, Powell SS, Farley GK, Werkman S, Berkoff KA. Psychometric characteristics of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support. J Pers Assess Winter. 1990;55(3–4):610–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Sherbourne CD, Stewart AL. The MOS social support survey. Soc Sci Med. 1991;32(6):705–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Zhao G, Li X, Fang X, et al. Functions and sources of perceived social support among children affected by HIV/AIDS in China. AIDS Care. 2011;23(6):671–9.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Fisher JD, Fisher WA, Cornman DH, Amico RK, Bryan A, Friedland GH. Clinician-delivered intervention during routine clinical care reduces unprotected sexual behavior among HIV-infected patients. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2006;41(1):44–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Gibson D, Lovelle-Drache J, Young M, Chesney M. HIV risk linked to psychopathology in IV drug users. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Paper presented at the 8th International Conference on AIDS; 1992.

  24. Crowne DP, Marlowe D. A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. J Consult Psychol. 1960;24:349–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Ballard R. Short forms of the Marlowe–Crowne social desirability scale. Psychol Rep. 1992;71(3 Pt 2):1155–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Reynolds W. Development of reliable and valid short forms of the Marlowe–Crowne social desirability scale. J Clin Psychol. 1982;38(1):119–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Strahan R, K Gerbasi. Short, homogeneous versions of the Marlowe–Crowne social desirability scale. J Clin Psychol. 1972;28:191–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. B. S. Security after the quake? Addressing violence and rape in Haiti. United States Institute of Peace. 2011.

  29. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2011. June 8, 2012.

  30. Kurth AE, Celum C, Baeten JM, Vermund SH, Wasserheit JN. Combination HIV prevention: significance, challenges, and opportunities. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2011;8(1):62–72.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Vermund SH, Hayes RJ. Combination prevention: new hope for stopping the epidemic. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2013;10(2):169–86.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. (PEPFAR) TUSPsEPfAR. Technical guidance on combination HIV prevention. Washington, DC; 2011.

  33. UNAIDS. Combination HIV prevention: tailoring and coordinating biomedical, behavioral and structural strategies to reduce new HIV infections. Geneva 2010.

  34. Kurtz SP, Douglas KG, Lugo Y. Sexual risks and concerns about AIDS among adolescents in Anguilla. AIDS Care. 2005;17(Suppl 1):S36–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Ghanem KG, Hutton HE, Zenilman JM, Zimba R, Erbelding E. Audio computer assisted self interview and face to face interview modes in assessing response bias among STD clinic patients. Sex Transm Infect. 2005;81:421–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the study participants, recruiters and interviewers of GHESKIO for their contribution to the research. Funding for this research was provided by the Wilbur G. Downs International Travel Health Fellowship (JC) and the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (K24 DA017072 for FLA).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA

    Jasmine W. Carver, Frederick L. Altice & Linda M. Niccolai

  2. Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

    Jessy G. Dévieux

  3. The Haitian Group for the Study of Kaposi’s Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

    Stéphanie C. Gaston

  4. Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Frederick L. Altice

  5. 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA

    Jasmine W. Carver

Authors
  1. Jasmine W. Carver
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jessy G. Dévieux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stéphanie C. Gaston
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Frederick L. Altice
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Linda M. Niccolai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jasmine W. Carver.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carver, J.W., Dévieux, J.G., Gaston, S.C. et al. Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. AIDS Behav 18, 1595–1603 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-013-0689-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-013-0689-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation