This article reports on the prevalence of HIV-related risk behaviors among young adolescent mothers. To determine the facilitators and barriers to condom use for young adolescent mothers, a survey of HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and behavior and focus groups was conducted. Young mothers (N = 58) have basic knowledge and some personal concern about HIV, but also hold common misconceptions about HIV and people with AIDS. Despite their anxiety about HIV, almost half rarely or never protect themselves against HIV by using a condom. Although 70% of the sample use hormonal contraceptives, more than one third of the sample have had a second child within an average of 18 months after the birth of their first baby. Personal concern about HIV was significantly associated with consistency of condom use. Because of low rates of condom use and substantial rates of multiple sex partners, STDs and second pregnancies, disadvantaged adolescent mothers are at risk of exposure to HIV. Increased personalized concern for HIV may lead to greater motivations for safer behavior for these mothers. In addition to protecting their own safety, the protection of their child may be an important motivator for safe behavior. Cultural taboos against safe sex and the perception of such behavior as "unfeminine" also need to be addressed for these women.
PIP: HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and risk behaviors were investigated in a study of 58 primarily Latina, low-income adolescent mothers (mean age, 17.5 years) enrolled in the Rhode Island (US) Hospital Teen-Tot Clinic. Respondents expressed fear concerning the threat of AIDS and 9% were worried they had already been exposed to HIV. Their basic knowledge about HIV transmission was adequate. Despite substantial anxiety about HIV infection, 47.4% of teen mothers did not use condoms consistently, 31.7% had 2 or more sex partners in the past year, 14.0% had a history of a sexually transmitted disease, and 22.8% had intentionally cut their body with an instrument such as a razor blade or pen. Although 70% used hormonal contraception, 33% of respondents had a second child within an average of 18 months of the birth of the first. Consistent condom users were significantly more likely than those who almost never or never used condoms to report personalized anxiety and concern about HIV/AIDS, significantly less likely to engage in self-mutilating behaviors, and significantly more likely to express intentions to engage in future HIV prevention behaviors. In focus groups discussions attended by 59 respondents, teen mothers expressed a sense of powerlessness in negotiating condom use with older male sexual partners and cultural taboos against condom use in primary relationships. Latinas viewed assertive sexual decision-making as incompatible with cultural norms regarding the female role. While hormonal methods of contraception were perceived as a medical regimen, barrier methods were associated with a culturally unacceptable premeditated decision to have sex.