Culture, Health and Sexuality
Volume 18, Issue 10, 2016, Pages 1107-1121

Pre- to post-immigration sexual risk behaviour and alcohol use among recent Latino immigrants in Miami (Article)

Berger Cardoso J.* , Ren Y. , Swank P. , Sanchez M. , De La Rosa M.
  • a Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, United States
  • b Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, United States
  • c Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, United States
  • d Center for Research on US Latino HIV/AIDS & Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, United States
  • e Center for Research on US Latino HIV/AIDS & Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, United States

Abstract

Retrospective pre-immigration data on sexual risk and alcohol use behaviours was collected from 527 recent Latino immigrants to the USA, aged 18–34. Two follow-up assessments (12 months apart) reported on post-immigration behaviours. Using a mixed model growth curve analysis, a six-level sexual risk change variable was constructed combining measures of sexual partners and condom use. The mixed model growth curve was also used to examine associations between changes in sexual risk behaviour and changes in alcohol use and for testing interaction effects of gender and documentation status. Results suggest that individuals with high sexual risk behaviour at pre-immigration converge to low/moderate risk post-immigration, and that those who were sexually inactive or had low sexual risk at pre-immigration increased their risk post-immigration. Individuals with moderately higher initial but decreasing sexual risk behaviour showed the steepest decline in alcohol use, but their drinking at Time 3 was still higher than individuals reporting low sexual risk at Time 1. On average, men drank more than women, except women in one of the highest sexual risk categories at Time 1 – who seemed to drink as much, if not more, than men. Undocumented men reported more frequent drinking than documented men. In contrast, undocumented women reported lower alcohol use than documented women. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

Sexual risk behaviour Latino immigrants Alcohol use USA pre- to post-immigration trajectories

Index Keywords

longitudinal study Alcohol Drinking sexual behavior drinking behavior human Longitudinal Studies sexuality sex difference Sexual Partners condom Condoms ethnology Hispanic Americans Florida Humans migrant Hispanic Emigrants and Immigrants high risk behavior Risk-Taking adult Sex Factors utilization
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84961390374&doi=10.1080%2f13691058.2016.1155751&partnerID=40&md5=6d0b615477f1040e160be21d09bf95bd
DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2016.1155751
ISSN: 13691058
Original Language: English