Fathering pregnancies: Marking health-risk behaviors in urban adolescents

Purpose: To establish self-reported rates and associated correlates of fath ering pregnancies in urban teen males, and to explore the possibility of us ing their pregnancy history as a marker for other health-risk behaviors. Methods: A blinded, self-administered questionnaire was given to the predom inantly African-American patients of an inner-city adolescent outpatient cl inic. Urine was also collected in a blinded, anonymous fashion, Adolescents Male matched to the questionnaires, and tested for five drugs of abuse. Ma les were classified as having or not having a pregnancy history (PH) accord ing to a questionnaire response item. PH and non-PH participants were compa red for eight risk factors using univariate and multivariate methods. Results: A total of 24.2% reported a PH. These males were about 14 times mo re likely to report three or more sex partners in the last year, more than five times as likely to report a sexually transmitted disease history, more than three times as likely to test positive for drugs, and more than 2.5 t imes as likely to be inconsistent or nonusers of condoms as compared to mal es without a pregnancy history. An association between violent behavior and PH is unsupported. Conclusions: Pregnancy history can be a valuable marker for other risk fact ors among inner-city African-American males. With some patients, it may be easier for clinicians to discuss pregnancy history or fatherhood as opposed to drug abuse and other more sensitive risk factors. The topic can then be used as a gateway for discussion of other risk factors. (C) Society for Ad olescent Medicine, 1998.