PEDIATRICS Vol. 108 No. 2 August 2001, p. e28
From the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Surveillance and
Epidemiology, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Objective. To examine predictors of
mother-adolescent communication about condoms.
Methods. Interviews were conducted with 907 mothers of
adolescents aged 14 to 17 years in the Bronx, New York; Montgomery,
Alabama; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, to determine whether mothers had
talked with their adolescent about condoms.
Results. By univariate analysis, mother-adolescent
communication about condoms was associated with greater knowledge about
sexuality and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, perception of having
enough information to discuss condoms, information from a
health-related source, less conservative attitudes about adolescent
sexuality, perception that the adolescent was at risk for human
immunodeficiency virus, greater ability and comfort in discussing
condoms, stronger belief that condoms prevent human immunodeficiency
virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and a more favorable
endorsement of condoms. In multivariate analyses, mother-adolescent
communication about condoms was associated with a less conservative
attitude about abstinence until marriage (odds ratio [OR]: 0.73; 95%
confidence interval [CI]: 0.54-0.74), greater skill in communicating
about sex (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.06-1.20), greater comfort in
communicating about sex (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.01-1.69), a more
favorable endorsement of condoms (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.17-2.78), and
the perception that the adolescent's friends were sexually active (OR:
3.53; 95% CI: 1.97-7.16).
Conclusion. Parents who communicate effectively about
sexuality and safer sex behaviors can influence their adolescents'
risk-taking behavior. Health care providers, particularly physicians,
can facilitate this communication by providing to parents information
about the sexual behavior of adolescents, the risks that adolescents
encounter, condom use, condom effectiveness, and how to discuss
condoms. They also can make referrals to programs that teach
communication skills.
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ABSTRACT
Top
Abstract
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
Promoting condom use among sexually active adolescents is
an important public health goal.1 Adolescents who have unprotected sex are at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),
including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). According to the Youth
Risk Behavior Survey, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
survey of students in grades 9 through 12, 48% of all high school
students had engaged in sexual intercourse; of the students who had
engaged in sexual intercourse during the 3 months before the survey
(35%), only 57% reported that they had used a condom during their
most recent sexual intercourse.2 Seven percent of students
reported sexual initiation before the age of 13.2 Other
representative data sources show that adolescents have the highest
age-specific risk for many STDs,3,4 and according to
recent estimates, 50% of new HIV infections occur among people who are
younger than 25 years.5 New strategies are needed to
promote more use of condoms by adolescents.
Although considerable attention has been directed toward
individual,6-8 peer,9,10 and
partner11-15 factors associated with condom use by
adolescents, recent research suggests that parent-child communication
can influence adolescents' use of condoms. One study found that
mother-adolescent discussion about condoms that took place before the
adolescent's sexual initiation was associated with more use of condoms
at sexual initiation, which set the stage for later condom
use.16 Other research showed that comprehensive
communication about sexuality and communication skills are related to
less sexual risk behavior among adolescents17,18 and to
adolescents' greater communication about condoms and condom use with
their partners.19 Despite these findings indicating the
importance of early parental discussions about condoms, many parents
either are not talking to their children about this issue or are not
initiating these discussions early enough.20
Our purpose was to examine factors associated with mother-adolescent
communication about condoms. By understanding which factors influence
whether mothers talk with their children about condoms and by
understanding the barriers that parents may perceive in talking with
their children, specific recommendations and strategies to promote
communication can be developed and implemented.
The Family Adolescent Risk Behavior and Communication Study was
a cross-sectional study of 907 adolescents and their mothers who were
recruited from 2 public high schools in Montgomery, Alabama, and the
Bronx, New York, and 1 public high school in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Recruitment took place between October 1993 and June 1994 at high
schools that had a prominent representation of blacks and Puerto
Ricans, populations that have been affected disproportionately by the
HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic.21 A description of the sample appears elsewhere.22
Procedures
A list of potential participants was obtained from each high
school, and students were recruited through fliers distributed in
homerooms and mailed to their homes. Interested mothers and adolescents
telephoned the researchers; those who wished to participate were
screened for eligibility. To be eligible, both the adolescent and the
mother had to be willing to participate; the adolescent had to be 14 to
16 years old, had to be enrolled in grades 9 to 11, and had to have
lived with the mother in the recruitment area for at least the past 10 years; and the mother had to be the adolescent's biological or
adoptive mother or stepmother. Of the 1733 pairs who provided screening
information, 1124 were eligible and 982 (87% of the eligible pairs)
were interviewed.
Separate face-to-face interviews were conducted with the mother and the
adolescent by interviewers of the same ethnicity and gender as the
adolescent and the mother. Mothers were interviewed first whenever
possible (for 91% of the pairs) to ease the adolescents' concerns
that their responses would be discussed with their mother. Mothers were
reimbursed $45, and adolescents were reimbursed $25 for their
participation. Before the interview, the interviewer explained the
purpose of the study, reviewed the consent form with the mother and the
adolescent separately, and had each sign the consent form.
Institutional review boards approved the study at each site. The sample
comprised 907 adolescent-mother pairs (75 pairs did not meet
eligibility requirements).
Instruments and Measures
The research instrument was a structured questionnaire developed
by study investigators. Questions for adolescents and mothers were
similar but not identical.
Main Outcome Measure
The main outcome measure was the mothers' yes/no response to
the question, "Have you and your child ever talked about condoms?"
Demographics
Demographic variables were site (New York, Alabama, or Puerto
Rico), ethnicity (black or Hispanic), adolescent's gender, mother's age, adolescent's age, income, mother's education, and father's presence in the home.
Information was elicited on 6 distinct domains drawn from 3 influential
behavioral theories: the theory of reasoned action,23,24 the health belief model,25,26 and social-cognitive theory.27,28 These domains were mother's knowledge and
information about HIV, STDs, and sexuality; mother's attitudes and
beliefs about sexuality and religiousness; mother's perception of her
adolescent's risk; mother's perception of her ability to discuss sex
and condoms; mother's beliefs about condom effectiveness; and
mother's endorsement of condoms.
Domain 1: Mother's Knowledge and Information
HIV knowledge was measured with 7 items. Each correct response
was scored 1 point so that higher scores reflected greater knowledge
about HIV/AIDS transmission. Similarly, knowledge about STD and sex was
assessed with 7 true/false items. Each correct response was scored 1 point so that higher scores reflected more knowledge about STDs and
sex.
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METHODS
Top
Abstract
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
Domain 2: Mother's Attitudes, Beliefs, and Religiousness
Adolescent Sex and Sex Outcomes
We measured mothers' attitudes about sex during adolescence (3 items measured; 1 = never OK, 3 = always OK;
= 0.78), her attitude about abstinence until marriage (1 item measured:
"I think my son/daughter should wait until he's/she's married to have sex"; 1 = strongly disagree, 4 = strongly agree), and
her beliefs that "getting pregnant or getting a girl pregnant would ruin her son's/daughter's future" (1 item measured; 1 = strongly disagree, 4 = strongly agree).
Religiousness Mothers reported how often they attended religious services (1 = never, 4 = about once a week or more) and how important their religious beliefs were to them (1 = not at all, 5 = very). The questions were similar conceptually and therefore were averaged to form a single index (r = 0.34); higher scores reflected higher religiousness.
Domain 3: Mother's Perception of Her Adolescent's Risk We used 4 measures of the mother's perception of her adolescent's risk: mother's perception that her child's had had sex (yes/no); whether the mother knew someone with HIV/AIDS (yes/no); mother's perception of her child's chances of having HIV at the time of interview (0 = no chance at all, 4 = already HIV positive); and mother's perception of the percentage of her child's friends that had had sex (0%-100%).
Domain 4: Mother's Perception of Ability to Discuss Sex and
Condoms
We used 2 indexes and 2 items to examine the mother's
perception of her ability to discuss sex and condoms with her
adolescent. The general communication index comprised 7 questions from
Barnes and Olson's communication scale.29 Mothers'
responses to items were summed to form an index (
= 0.85 for
mothers). Each item was scored on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree); higher scores indicated
better general communication. The sexual communication skills
index17 comprised 9 items. After reporting on whether they
had communicated about various sex topics, mothers responded to items
such as, "I don't know enough about topics like this to talk to my
son/daughter," and, "My son/daughter and I talk openly and freely
about these topics" (1 = strongly disagree, 4 = strongly
agree). Negatively worded items were reverse-scored, and responses were
summed (
= 0.82) so that higher scores indicated better sexual
communication skills. Mothers' comfort with discussing sex with their
adolescents and mothers' perception of their adolescents' comfort
about discussing sex were measured separately with single items (1 = feels very uncomfortable, 4 = feels very comfortable).
Domain 5: Mother's Beliefs About Condom Effectiveness Responses to 3 questions were used to assess beliefs about the effectiveness of condoms: 1) "How effective do you think the use of a condom is to prevent getting the AIDS virus (HIV)?" (1 = not at all effective, 3 = very effective). 2) "Do you feel like you can protect yourself against the AIDS virus (HIV) by always using a condom during sex?" (yes/no). 3) "Does sex with latex condoms and spermicide decrease a person's chance of getting the AIDS virus(HIV)?" (yes/no).
Domain 6: Mother's Endorsement of Condoms We used responses to 2 questions to assess mothers' beliefs about condom access: "Do you think high schools should make condoms available to students?" (yes/no), and, "I think my son/daughter should carry condoms" (1 = strongly disagree, 4 = strongly agree).
Analytic Plan
First, bivariate analyses were performed between each predictor
(demographics and the variables in each of the 6 domains) and
communication about condoms. Next, multivariate analyses were conducted
using a series of logistic regression models. The first model examined
the multivariate relationship between the demographic variables and
communication about condoms. All significant or marginally significant
demographic predictors were included in all subsequent regression
models. Next, to examine predictors within each domain, we conducted 6 regression models (1 for each domain) with all variables within a
domain entered simultaneously. A final model examined predictors across
domains. This final model included all predictors that were significant
from the within-domain regression models. (Note that a separate model
that included all predictors
both significant and
nonsignificant
yielded nearly identical results.)
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RESULTS |
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Bivariate Analyses
Of the 907 mothers surveyed, 666 (73.4%) had talked with their
adolescent about condoms. Table 1 shows
the relationship between each predictor and communication about condoms
and the associated P value from the
2 or Student's t test. Among the
demographic factors, differences were found for site, ethnicity,
mother's age, income, education, and presence of a father in the home.
Condom communication was greater for mothers who were from New York,
black, younger, wealthier, better educated, and when no father was
present in the home. For domain 1 (knowledge and information), more
knowledge of AIDS and more knowledge of sex were related to more
communication, as was the mother's belief that she had enough
information to discuss condoms, sex, AIDS, and STDs with her
adolescent. Regarding information sources, only one variable
having
obtained information from a pamphlet, physician, or health
department
was associated with more communication. For domain 2 (attitudes, beliefs, and religiousness), 3 of the 4 measures were
associated with communication about condoms, and for each measure, less
conservative attitudes or less religiousness was associated with more
communication. For domain 3 (perceived risk), 3 of the 4 variables were
associated with communication about condoms; for each, perception of
higher risk was related to more communication about condoms. Next, for
domain 4 (perception of ability to discuss sex and condoms), better
general communication skills, more skills in communicating about sex,
and mother's comfort in discussing sex were related to more
communication about condoms; mother's perception of her adolescent's
comfort was not. For domains 5 and 6 (beliefs about condom
effectiveness and mother's endorsement of condoms), all variables were
associated with more communication about condoms. Mothers who
considered condoms more effective and mothers who endorsed condoms for
adolescents were more likely to have talked with their adolescent about
condoms.
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Multivariate Analyses
In the initial regression model, only the 8 demographic factors were considered (Table 2). Four variables were significant predictors of communication about condoms (site, mother's age, mother's education, and father's presence in home), and 2 were marginally significant (gender and adolescent's age). These 6 variables were included in all later regression models.
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The next regression model included the 12 knowledge and information variables described previously. Of those variables, the mother's perception that she had enough information to discuss condoms with her son or daughter and the mother's having obtained information from a health-related source were associated with more condom communication. In the second model (analysis of the 4 items concerning maternal attitudes and beliefs and religiousness), only the mother's endorsement of abstinence until marriage was significant, and it was associated with less condom communication. In the third model, which included the 4 items that assessed the mother's perception of her adolescent's risk, only the mother's perception of the sexual activity of her adolescent's friends was significant, and it was associated with more communication. In the fourth model, which included the 4 variables for the mother's perception of her ability to discuss sex and condoms, the mother's skill and her comfort with discussing sex were associated with more condom communication. In the fifth model (analysis of 3 items concerning beliefs in the effectiveness of condoms), believing condoms to be effective was associated with more communication about condoms. In the final regression model, which included beliefs about condom availability, each item was related independently to communication about condoms; stronger endorsement of condoms for adolescents was associated with more communication.
A final regression model comprised the 9 significant predictors from the 6 models, along with the 6 demographic predictors (Table 3). Of the substantive predictors, having enough information about condoms dropped to marginal significance, and belief in the effectiveness of condoms dropped to nonsignificant. The remaining variables were associated independently with communication about condoms. More communication about condoms was related to having obtained information from a health-related source, weaker endorsement of abstinence until marriage, greater perception that the child's friends were sexually active, better skills in communicating about sex, more comfort with discussing sex, and stronger endorsement that schools should distribute condoms and that adolescents should carry condoms.
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DISCUSSION |
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Adults play an important role in promoting the sexual health of adolescents. Because mother-adolescent discussions about condoms before sexual initiation have been associated strongly with safer sexual behaviors,16 it is important to promote mother-adolescent communication about condoms. In our examination of factors associated with mother-adolescent communication about condoms, we found that variables in a variety of domains are related to mother-adolescent communication.
Our findings suggest ways in which parents and providers of youth services, particularly physicians, can promote the sexual health of adolescents. Specifically, in addition to direct contact with adolescent patients, physicians can support adolescents' use of condoms by providing parents with the information and the skills to help them discuss sexuality and condom use with their children early, before sexual activity begins.
The traditional way in which physicians have promoted sexual health is
by screening and counseling adolescent patients about their sexual risk
behavior. Barriers such as lack of time and concern about the
adolescent's or the parent's discomfort30-34 may
inhibit physicians from counseling adolescent patients effectively. Moreover, adolescents use health care services less than any other age
group does, and they are least likely to seek care at a physician's office.35 Physicians who do talk with adolescents probably talk too late
that is, after that adolescent has already had sex. If
physicians could facilitate parent-child communication, then barriers
such as lack of time and parental discomfort could be avoided. Our
findings suggest specific ways in which physicians can facilitate
parent-child communication about condoms.
First, condom communication was associated with mothers' beliefs that they had enough information to discuss condoms, having received information from a health-related source, and beliefs that condoms prevent HIV/AIDS. Physicians can serve as an important informational resource by providing parents with information about the importance of talking with their adolescent about sex and condoms and by informing parents that aside from abstinence, condom use is the only way to prevent STDs, including HIV. Physicians should make sure that parents have all of the information that they believe they need to discuss condoms, a place to turn to if they need more information, and accurate information about the effectiveness and use of condoms.
Second, condom communication was associated with greater skill in and comfort with discussing condoms. To be comfortable and confident in these discussions, parents must know that the discussion is appropriate, and they must know how to have such a discussion. Physicians can help by informing parents of the potential benefits of discussing condoms with their adolescent and can provide informational brochures about how to do so. Physicians also can refer parents to programs that teach parent-child communication skills.
Third, mothers who endorsed abstinence until marriage were less likely to talk with their adolescent about condoms. Here the physician's role may not be to try to change parental attitudes but to inform parents about the realities of adolescent behavior. Physicians should encourage parents to communicate their values about premarital sexual activity to their children, but they also should realize that it is highly unlikely that their adolescent will abstain from sex until marriage, as >72% of never-married female adolescents and 84% of never-married male adolescents have had sexual intercourse by age 20.36,37 Parents also need to know that providing information about safer sex does not increase adolescents' sexual activity and that it is not inconsistent to endorse both abstinence and condom use when the adolescent does choose to have sex, even among adolescents who have never had sex.
Finally, condom communication was associated with mothers' perception that their adolescent was at risk. Parents may not realize that their adolescent is having sex and thus may underestimate the adolescent's risk. (In this sample, of the female adolescents who had had sexual intercourse, 47% of their mothers thought that they had not; of male adolescents who had had sexual intercourse, 53% of their mothers thought that they had not.) Here again, physicians should inform parents about the realities of adolescent sexual behavior, such as that adolescents whose peers are having sex are likely to have sex themselves, as mothers in our sample seemed to realize. Parents must learn that talking with adolescents about sex and condoms is associated with safer sexual behavior and with a reduced association between adolescents' own behavior and the adolescents' perception of their peers' behavior.38 Physicians can provide the parents of their patients and their patients who are parents with information, skills, and resources to discuss sexuality and condoms if they choose to do so. Clearly, the role of physicians is a critical one.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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Funding for this study was provided by the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Surveillance and Epidemiology, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
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FOOTNOTES |
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Received for publication Jan 12, 2001; accepted Mar 26, 2001.
Reprint requests to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mailstop E45, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333. E-mail: kxm3{at}cdc.gov
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ABBREVIATIONS |
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STD, sexually transmitted disease; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
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REFERENCES |
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United States, 1997. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly
Rep. 1998;47(SS-3):1-92
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