TY - JOUR
T1 - Alcohol use as a potential mediator of forced sexual intercourse and suicidality among african american, caucasian, and hispanic high school girls
AU - Le, Yen Chi L.
AU - Behnken, Monic P.
AU - Markham, Christine M.
AU - Temple, Jeff R.
N1 - Funding Information:
Dr. Le is supported by a National Cancer Institute (NCI) postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Texas School of Public Health Cancer Education and Career Development Program (NCI R25 CA57712). Dr. Temple is supported by a research career development award ( K23HD059916 ) from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development . The findings and conclusions in this report do not necessarily represent the official views of the NCI, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, or the National Institutes of Health.
PY - 2011/10
Y1 - 2011/10
N2 - Purpose: Sexual assault on adolescent females is a major public health concern. The purposes of this study were to examine: (1) whether alcohol use mediates the relationship between forced sexual intercourse and suicidality in high-school girls, and (2) whether this mediation differs by ethnicity. Methods: Using cross-sectional data from the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 6,294), we used logistic regression and simple mediation using the Sobel test for indirect effect for our analyses. Results: Overall rates for forced sexual intercourse, alcohol use, and suicidality were 10.9%, 56.6%, and 18%, respectively. Current alcohol use significantly mediated the relationship between forced sexual intercourse and suicidality in African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic high-school girls. Overall, 13% of variance in participants' suicidality can be accounted for by the indirect effect of forced sexual intercourse on suicidality through alcohol use. The amount of variance accounted for by alcohol use varied significantly by ethnicity, with the largest amount of variance (21%) accounted for suicidality in Hispanic girls. Conclusion: In addition to its acute affects, alcohol use may serve as a general risk factor for suicidality in girls who have experienced forced sexual intercourse. Intervention programs targeting female adolescent sexual assault victims should include an alcohol use component.
AB - Purpose: Sexual assault on adolescent females is a major public health concern. The purposes of this study were to examine: (1) whether alcohol use mediates the relationship between forced sexual intercourse and suicidality in high-school girls, and (2) whether this mediation differs by ethnicity. Methods: Using cross-sectional data from the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 6,294), we used logistic regression and simple mediation using the Sobel test for indirect effect for our analyses. Results: Overall rates for forced sexual intercourse, alcohol use, and suicidality were 10.9%, 56.6%, and 18%, respectively. Current alcohol use significantly mediated the relationship between forced sexual intercourse and suicidality in African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic high-school girls. Overall, 13% of variance in participants' suicidality can be accounted for by the indirect effect of forced sexual intercourse on suicidality through alcohol use. The amount of variance accounted for by alcohol use varied significantly by ethnicity, with the largest amount of variance (21%) accounted for suicidality in Hispanic girls. Conclusion: In addition to its acute affects, alcohol use may serve as a general risk factor for suicidality in girls who have experienced forced sexual intercourse. Intervention programs targeting female adolescent sexual assault victims should include an alcohol use component.
KW - Adolescent females
KW - Alcohol use
KW - Sexual assault
KW - Suicidal ideation
KW - Youth Risk Behavior Survey
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.01.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.01.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 21939878
AN - SCOPUS:80052965521
SN - 1054-139X
VL - 49
SP - 437
EP - 439
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
IS - 4
ER -