Pathways to STI Risk for Adolescents in Foster Care: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study of Youth Transitioning Out of Care

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2013

Kym R. Ahrens, Carolyn McCarty, Mark E. Courtney, Amy Dworsky, Jane Simoni

Suggested Citation
Ahrens, K., McCarty, C., Courtney, M., Dworsky, A., & Simoni, J. (2013). 5. Pathways to STI Risk for Adolescents in Foster Care: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study of Youth Transitioning Out of Care. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(2), S3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.10.011

Description
Among other health disparities, adolescents in foster care are at a disproportionately high risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared with their peers. We sought to determine overall fit and identify important pathways to STI risk for foster youth using a theoretically-driven conceptual model which included: (1) past abuse and foster care experiences, (2) mental health and relational factors in late adolescence, and (3) STI risk variables in young adulthood.