Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation and STI/HIV Related Risk among Young U.S. Adults

Sanyu A. Mojola, University of Colorado at Boulder

Few studies consider the impact of combinations of identities, in particular gender, race/ethnicity and sexual orientation on STI and HIV related risk. We develop nine analytical sub-groups based on gender (male/female), race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic) and sexual orientation (straight, mixed-oriented, gay). We then use survey data from 11,088 young adults from the 3rd and 4th wave of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to examine 1) the distribution of STI/HIV related risk factors among race/ethnic-gender-sexual orientation subgroups, 2) the relative significance of these risk factors for the different sub-groups and 3) the pathways mediating these risk factors across the sub-groups. We find evidence for substantial STI and HIV-related risk among mixed oriented females, black males of all sexual orientations and gay identified males.