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Low Self-Esteem Linked to Unsafe Sex |
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THURSDAY, Sept. 12 (HealthDayNews) -- Promoting self-esteem, ethnic identity and body image among black American teenage girls may help them ward off unwanted, unprotected sex, says an Emory University study.
The study of 335 sexually active black girls found those with stronger self-concept were better communicators with their sex partners. That translated into the girls being better able to refuse unwanted and unprotected sex.
"The relationship between self-concept and communication attributes was statistically significant, and the effect was large enough to suggest that self-concept may have considerable influence on African-American adolescent girls' ability to communicate effectively with their sex partners," researcher Laura Salazar from Emory's School of Public Health said in a prepared statement.
The findings, published in the September issue of Prevention Science, suggest that targeting body image and self-esteem issues, and adopting an Afrocentric approach, may improve the effectiveness of programs meant to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection among black girls.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information about HIV/AIDS among black Americans.
(SOURCE: Prevention Science, news release, Aug. 12, 2004)
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