Faculty Bibliography

African American adolescent girls are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system and are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STI). Parental protection may play a critical role in the sexual behaviors of African American adolescent girls and help to inform family-based interventions. The current study investigated the impact of parental protective factors (monitoring, sex communication, and authoritarian parenting) on sexual risk-related outcomes in a sample (n = 172) of justice-involved, urban African American adolescent girls aged 13"“17 years. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to estimate the association between parental protective factors and percentage of consistent condom use, HIV/STI knowledge, fear of condom negation, and condom self-efficacy 3 months after their release from detention centers. Baseline parental protective factors were significantly associated with sexual risk-related outcomes of African American adolescent girls. Parental monitoring was positively associated with consistency of condom use and increased HIV/STI knowledge. Parental communication about sex reduced fear of condom negotiation and increased condom self-efficacy. Authoritarian parenting predicted increased HIV/STI knowledge and fear of condom negotiation following release. Programs, policies, and interventions addressing the sexual health of African American adolescent girls should engage families to enhance protective factors to reduce their sexual risk.

Family is uniquely influential in the health of young Asian Americans (AAs), yet little is known on the impact of specific shared family activities. This study explores different types and frequencies of AA young adult shared family activities on perceived familial influence on the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle (diet, physical activity, sleep, social relationships, stress, and risky substances). A nationwide sample of 18-35-year-old AAs was surveyed in March 2021 on a list of 30 shared family activities with mothers, fathers, siblings, or extended family. Overall, 984 unique family relationships reported by 616 young AAs were analyzed. Confirmatory factor analysis synthesized a reliable two-factor (routine, leisure activities) 10-item Shared Activities with Family (SAF) scale. Mothers were most influential (mean 3.25, SD = 1.14), although shared activities among South Asians or with extended family were most associated with changes in perceived influence. Routine shared activities were more strongly associated with perceived influence on sleep, diet, and risky substances, while leisure shared activities were more associated with influence on developing healthy social relationships. Family-based, dyadic interventions for young AAs may incorporate shared activities (both routine and leisure) to promote healthy behaviors, although further research to explore mechanisms and directionality of influence is needed to inform action.

Family members play a crucial role in the health of Asian American communities, and their involvement in health interventions can be pivotal in optimizing impact and implementation. To explore how family members can be effectively involved in Asian American health interventions and develop a conceptual framework of methods of involvement at the stages of intervention development, process, and evaluation, this scoping review documented the role of Asian American family members in interventions (across any health objective). Of the 7175 studies identified through database and manual searches, we included 48 studies in the final analysis. Many studies focused on Chinese (54%) or Vietnamese (21%) populations, were conducted in California (44%), and involved spouses (35%) or parents/children (39%). We observed involvement across 3 stages: (1) intervention development (formative research, review process, material development), (2) intervention process (recruitment, receiving the intervention together, receiving a parallel intervention, enlisting support to achieve goals, voluntary intervention support, agent of family-wide change, and participation gatekeepers), and (3) intervention evaluation (received evaluation together, indirect impact evaluation, and feedback during intervention). Impact of family member involvement was both positive (as sources of encouragement, insight, accountability, comfort, and passion) and negative (sources of hindrance, backlash, stigma, obligation, and negative influence). Suggestions for future research interventions include (1) exploring family involvement in South Asian or young adult interventions, (2) diversifying types of family members involved (eg, extended family), and (3) diversifying methods of involvement (eg, family members as implementation agents).