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Alcohol Use Problems and Sexual Risk Among Young Adult African American Mothers

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Abstract

Studies have documented high levels of alcohol use and sexual risk among young mothers. We examined parenting satisfaction and self-efficacy in relation to alcohol use problems and sexual risk among 346 young African American women enrolled in an HIV prevention trial, 41 % (n = 141) of whom were mothers. Among mothers, greater parenting satisfaction was associated with a reduced likelihood of problematic alcohol use, having multiple sex partners, and testing positive for Trichomonas vaginalis. Relative to non-parenting women, mothers reported lower condom use. Compared to non-parenting women, mothers with the highest parenting satisfaction reported fewer alcohol use problems; mothers with the lowest parenting satisfaction reported lower condom use and were more likely to have multiple partners and test positive for T. vaginalis. Parenting self-efficacy was not associated with the outcomes examined. Future research investigating relationships between parenting satisfaction, alcohol use and sexual risk may be useful for improving multiple maternal health outcomes.

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Notes

  1. Data collection for the main trial began in February, 2014. Data about motherhood and parenting were collected beginning in October, 2014.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism R01AA018096 to Ralph J. DiClemente. Andrea Swartzendruber was supported by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Grant Number F32 AA022058. Jessica M. Sales was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health Grant Number K01 MH085506.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Sciences & Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Andrea Swartzendruber, Jessica M. Sales, Eve S. Rose & Ralph J. DiClemente

  2. Centers for AIDS Research, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Andrea Swartzendruber, Jessica M. Sales & Ralph J. DiClemente

  3. Division of Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Ralph J. DiClemente

Authors
  1. Andrea Swartzendruber
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  2. Jessica M. Sales
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  3. Eve S. Rose
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  4. Ralph J. DiClemente
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Correspondence to Andrea Swartzendruber.

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Swartzendruber, A., Sales, J.M., Rose, E.S. et al. Alcohol Use Problems and Sexual Risk Among Young Adult African American Mothers. AIDS Behav 20 (Suppl 1), 74–83 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1228-2

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