Scant HIV/AIDS prevalence data from Curacao suggest that 65.9% of the HIV/AIDS cases in the Netherlands Antilles are currently being documented in this country. The present cross-sectional qualitative study evaluated levels of knowledge of sexual health and information-seeking behavior of Spanish-speaking immigrant adolescents in Curacao. Findings point to a greater need for channels of sexual health information targeting adolescents that focus on the interpersonal aspects of sexuality, to encourage greater parental involvement in their adolescents' lives, and to improve communications between adolescents and their parents. Study findings also suggest the need for a more thoughtful and systematic exploration of the indications by participants that force/coercion specifically by older men including stepfathers was a reason for sexual initiation of many young Latina girls in Curacao. Copyright © 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

sexual health immigrants sexually transmitted infections (STIs) HIV/AIDS Adolescents

Information Seeking Behavior information seeking Netherlands Antilles South and Central America Interpersonal Relations Latin America sexual behavior psychological aspect human statistics child behavior ethnology human relation Cross-Sectional Studies cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants female questionnaire Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Article Adolescent Behavior Questionnaires migration attitude to health