An Ethnographic Study of Sexual Risk Among Latino Adolescents in North Carolina

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore the cultural meaning of sexual risk from the perspectives of Latino adolescents and their parents in the context of migration. Throughout 1 year, in-depth interviews and participant observation were conducted with Latino adolescents (n = 25) and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hispanic health care international 2009, Vol.7 (3), p.160-169
Main Author: Larson, Kim L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
Dating
Hispanic Americans
Latin American people
Medical research
Migration
Parents
Safe sexual practices
Sexual behavior
Teenagers
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Summary:The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore the cultural meaning of sexual risk from the perspectives of Latino adolescents and their parents in the context of migration. Throughout 1 year, in-depth interviews and participant observation were conducted with Latino adolescents (n = 25) and their parents (n = 18) in rural North Carolina. Three themes emerged from the data. First, cultural norms of la fiesta de los quince años clashed with mainstream U.S. norms of early dating and sexual exploration. Second, "boyfriend as husband" was perceived as both a sexual risk and a means of financial security. Third, libertinaje /sexual freedom was ignored in both the community and the school. The study suggests that immigrant Latino families could benefit from capacity-building strategies within the school and community. Strengthening community support surrounding la fiesta de los quince años may preserve culture and support healthy male-female relationships. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:1540-4153
1938-8993
DOI:10.1891/1540-4153.7.3.160