*Note* This scheduling program was not designed by folks who do a lot with APA Style and unfortunately it defaults to listing authors in alphabetical order. We cannot fix this for this online schedule, but the author orders are posted in the order submitted in the printed program available via pdf here.
Using an ecological framework, multisystem factors contributing to the disparities between majority and underserved ethnic populations can be explored along with ways to heal and rebuild communities through research, collaboration and advocacy. Factors such as cultural beliefs, womens issues, racism, power imbalances, heterosexism, and sexism are among risk factors that will be discussed. This presentation will explore intervention and prevention programs at the individual, community, and societal levels in order to fully address this sexual health disparity. At the individual level, the burden of risky sexual behavior, practices, and outcomes fall heavily on ethnic minority females. Race/ethnicity and gender specific rates show Black and Hispanic females have higher rates of sexual intercourse, putting them at risk of STIs and unplanned pregnancies in high school years. At the microsystem level, family and peers have a strong influence on sexual behaviors. Family communication can have an impact the age of sexual debut, contraception use, and attitudes toward sexuality. Peer relationships, both positive and negative, have a strong influence on adolescent sexual behaviors such as condom use. For instance, when members of adolescent peer groups have positive attitudes toward condoms, it predicts personal usage. Programs using these factors will be discussed. Research on risk and protective factors provide some gender-based directions for constructing community based programs and interventions in school settings. Research has found that effective programs for this population offer access to accurate information about contraceptive use and STIs/HIV using culturally sensitive methods that address factors such as gender scripts of control and dominance. In order to fully address the sexual health disparity affecting ethnic minority adolescents, it is also necessary to examine factors at the macrosystem (societal) level. This paper will explore strategies in advocacy at all levels which help to achieve social change benefiting this population.