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Factors Associated with Pregnancy among Incarcerated African American Adolescent Girls

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the social and behavioral factors associated with pregnancy history among a sample of African American adolescent girls recruited from a short-term juvenile detention center in order to better understand the needs of this vulnerable population. Data were collected from a sample of 188 detained African American, 13–17-year-old girls in Atlanta, Georgia, who participated in a larger HIV prevention study. An audio computer-assisted self-interviewing survey was completed by participants to obtain information on socioecological factors to include individual, parental/familial, sexual risk, psychosocial, and substance use factors. Among the 188 participants, 25.5 % reported a history of pregnancy. A multivariable logistic regression model showed that girls with a history of pregnancy were more likely to live in a household receiving government aid, use hormonal contraceptives at last sex, participate in sex trading, have casual sex partners, have condomless sex in the past 90 days, and have a history of physical abuse. Girls with no history of pregnancy were more likely to have been incarcerated at least twice and to have previously used alcohol. Detention-based interventions and pregnancy prevention programs for this vulnerable population may benefit by addressing factors related to sexual behavior and development, substance use, individual background, and psychosocial health.

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Acknowledgments

Funding Statement

This study was supported by the Cooperative Agreement 5UR6PS000679 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Simone C. Gray, Kristin Holmes & Denise R. Bradford

  2. Quantitative Sciences and Data Management Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop E-48, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA

    Simone C. Gray

Authors
  1. Simone C. Gray
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  2. Kristin Holmes
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  3. Denise R. Bradford
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Correspondence to Simone C. Gray.

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Gray, S.C., Holmes, K. & Bradford, D.R. Factors Associated with Pregnancy among Incarcerated African American Adolescent Girls. J Urban Health 93, 709–718 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-016-0061-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-016-0061-x

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