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.