Sex Differences in Associations of School Connectedness With Adolescent Sexual Risk-Taking in Nova Scotia, Canada

• Published in: The Journal of school health Vol. 84; no. 6; pp. 387 - 395
• Main Authors: Langille, Donald B., Asbridge, Mark, Azagba, Sunday, Flowerdew, Gordon, Rasic, Daniel, Cragg, Amber
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01-06-2014; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley; American School Health Association; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Attitudes; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescents; Biological and medical sciences; Connectedness; Contraception Behavior - psychology; Contraception Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data Analysis; Drug Use; Educational Environment; Female; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Grade 10; Health aspects; Health Behavior; High School Students; Humans; Incidence; Influence; Interpersonal Relationship; Intervention; Interventions; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Multivariate Analysis; Nova Scotia; Nursing; Odds Ratio; Peer Acceptance; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Regression analysis; Risk; Risk-Taking; Safe sexual practices; school connectedness; School environment; Schools; Sex; sex differences; Sex differences (Psychology); Sex Factors; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexual behaviour; Sexual Partners - psychology; sexual risk behaviors; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Social Influences; Social Isolation - psychology; Teenagers; Young Adult; Youth; Canada; Nova Scotia; North America; America; Nova Scotia Canada; Canada, Nova Scotia; Human; adolescents; Sexual behavior; Sex; Male; Risk taking; School environment; school connectedness; Association; Adolescent; Female; Comparative study; sex differences; sexual risk behaviors
• ISSN: 0022-4391; 1746-1561
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12161

ABSTRACT
BACKGROUNDAssociations of lower school connectedness have been seen with adolescent sexual risk behaviors, but little is known about gender differences with respect to these relationships. Understanding any such differences could contribute to better supporting the school environment to promote youth sexual health.
METHODSWe used provincially representative cross‐sectional data from 1415 sexually active students in grades 10 to 12 in Nova Scotia, Canada, to determine whether lower school connectedness was associated with students' sexual risk behaviors using multivariate logistic regression, stratifying by sex.
RESULTSIn boys, lower connectedness was associated with three risk behaviors, having ≥2 partners in the previous year (odds ratio [OR] 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01‐1.13), no condom use at last intercourse (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.01‐1.12), and having unplanned intercourse due to substance use (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.03‐1.15). No such associations were seen in girls.
CONCLUSIONSThese results demonstrate that gender differences may exist for associations of school connectedness and sexual risk behaviors; connectedness may be more important for boys than for girls in this area of adolescent health. Educators should consider gender differences when designing interventions to maximize youth sexual health through school‐based interventions. Further research on school connectedness and risk‐taking should examine genders separately.