2007 Final Program - Society of Behavioral Medicine

SOCIETY of BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE
Rapid Communications Posters Friday, March 23, 2007 • 6:30 PM-8:00 PM • Poster Session C
3438
DATING VIOLENCE AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN
FEMALES ATTENDING A SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
Malaika Pepper Washington, MSPH, Shacara Johnson, BS and Lucy
Annang, PhD, MPH
Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham,
Birmingham, AL.
Studies have shown that among adolescents, romantic relationship
violence has gained acceptance as a version of love, with prevalence
rates ranging from 9% to as high as 57%. Some young African
American females have even been noted to perceive partner violence
as a sign of commitment. Data for this study was collected via selfadministered
survey of African American females living in a co-ed
campus dormitory located in a southern U.S. city. Of the 89 young
women surveyed (mean age 18.5 years), 78.7% (n=70) were sexually
experienced. Of these, 35.7% (n=25) reported being forced to have
sex at least once. When asked whether the act occurred due to peer
pressure (i.e. emotional and verbal coercion) or physical force, 68%
(n=17) were pressured while 40% (n=10) were physically forced.
Regarding the perpetrator of the forced act, most (95.8%) identified
him as a close friend. An overwhelming majority (96.0%) did not
report the incident with the most often cited reason for non-report
being “a desire to forget” (48.0%). Adolescent victimization through
forced sex is often an overlooked issue among young dating couples.
Given that many of the participants were peer pressured into
forced sex, self-esteem and confidence building as well as condom
negotiation skills should be stressed among this population. As rates
of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV among African
American females continue to rise, intervention efforts designed
to reduce disease prevalence should incorporate information about
preventing dating violence for both females and males at an early age
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Malaika Pepper Washington,
MSPH, Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham,
Birmingham, AL, 35294-0022; malaika@uab.edu
3439
PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE INTAKE AMONG ADOLESCENTS
Stephanie A. Sybert, MPH and Joni Mayer, PhD
Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San
Diego, CA.
Stephanie A Sybert, BS, Joni A Mayer, PhD
San Diego State University, Graduate School of Public Health
WITHDRAWN
The prevalence of obesity among adolescents has increased
dramatically in the past 20 years. These data are alarming, especially
because obese adolescents are at highest risk of becoming obese
adults. The National Cancer Institute recommends eating at least 5
servings of fruits and vegetables (f&v) a day to promote good health
and prevent chronic diseases, including obesity. The CITY100 teen
health survey was a phone survey of 6,125 teens and their parents
in the 100 largest U.S. cities (approx 60 pairs per city). Items
included previously validated questions on f&v consumption, as
well as other health related behaviors; the response rate was 75%.
The sample was 14-17 years and 51.5% were female. Race/ethnicity
percentages were approximately 77% non-Hispanic White, 12%
Hispanic (all races), 8% non-Hispanic Black, and 3% other. The
mean number of f&v servings “in a typical day” was 4.2 (SD=1.9),
~ 110 ~
with approximately 42% of respondents meeting the 5+ a day
recommendation. Recommendation compliance was significantly
associated with sex, race, and parental education level. Males were
significantly less likely to comply than females (40% vs. 43%,
χ2=5.34, p