Sexual Communication Among Young Adult Heterosexual Latinos.

Sexual Communication;Latinos;Nursing;Health Sciences;Nursing

Alvarez, Carmen PaulaMartyn, Kristy Kiel ;

University of Michigan

关键词: Sexual Communication;    Latinos;    Nursing;    Health Sciences;    Nursing;   

Others  :  https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/93982/alvarezc_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

Background: Young adult Latinos are disproportionately affected by unintended consequences of sex (e.g., unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV). An important component in efforts to prevent these unintended consequences is sexual communication between sexual partners. Understanding how sexual communication influences sexual behavior is warranted, as well as understanding the predictors of sexual communication among Latinos and their sexual partners. Objective: To examine how sexual communication influences sexual behavior among young adult, heterosexual Latinos in sexually active relationships; and—drawing from Wingood’s Theory of Gender and Power—examine contextual (socioeconomic factors, relationship power, social norms, affective attachment) and intrapersonal (attitudes towards sexual communication) factors and their relationship with sexual communication. Gender differences within relationships were also evaluated. Methods: In this descriptive, exploratory study, self-identified Latinos (N = 220, men = 109) ages 18 – 30 and in current heterosexual relationships were recruited from urban areas in Southeast Michigan. Self-administered questionnaires were used to evaluate sexual communication, sexual behavior, socioeconomic factors, relationship power, social norms, and affective attachment. Regression analyses were used to address the objectives of the study.Results: Theoretical relationships proposed by the modified Theory of Gender and Power were supported by the data. Among women, sexual health communication was positively associated with consistent condom use (OR = 2.07, p < .05) and negatively associated with having concurrent sex partners (OR = .19, p < .01). However, among men sexual communication was not associated with sexual behavior. For men and women, nonverbal sexual communication was negatively associated with condom use at last sex (OR = .46, p < .01). Sexual communication variables among men and women were most explained by intrapersonal factors. Intrapersonal factors predicted sexual health (R2 = .15, p < .01), sexual satisfaction (R2 = .36, p < .01), and nonverbal sexual communication (R2 = .41, p < .01). Conclusion: Among young adult Latinos, sexual communication is generally predictive of sexual behavior. However, the relationship with sexual behavior varies by type of sexual communication. Acknowledging that sexual communication may serve different purposes within couples may facilitate strategies to help couples develop and maintain safe and satisfying sexual behaviors.