Partner violence among adolescents in opposite-sex romantic relationships: findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

OBJECTIVES: This report examines (1) the prevalence of psychological and minor physical violence victimization in a nationally representative sample of adolescents and (2) associations between sociodemographic factors and victimization. METHODS: Analyses are based on 7500 adolescents who reported exclusively heterosexual romantic relationships in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Items from the Conflict Tactics Scale were used to measure victimization. Associations between victimization patterns and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed with polytomous logistic regression. RESULTS: One third of adolescents reported some type of victimization, and 12% reported physical violence victimization. Although most sociodemographic characteristics were significantly associated with victimization, patterns varied by sex and type of victimization. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological and minor physical violence victimization is common in opposite-sex romantic relationships during adolescence. The sex-specific associations between sociodemographic characteristics and patterns of partner violence victimization underscore the importance of pursuing longitudinal, theory-driven investigations of the characteristics and developmental histories of both partners in a couple to advance understanding of this public health problem.

Age differences between sexual partners in the United States.

CONTEXT: Researchers have examined the age of partners of young women at first intercourse and of young women who have given birth, but little is known about the age of partners of young women in current sexual relationships or young women who have had an abortion. METHODS: Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) were used to examine age differences between women and their current partner and women's use of contraceptives at last intercourse, by marital status and by the age difference between women and their partner. Data from the NSFG and the 1994-1995 Alan Guttmacher Institute Abortion Patient Survey, with supplemental information from other sources, were used to estimate 1994 pregnancy rates for women by their age and marital status, according to the age difference between the women and their partner. RESULTS: Among all sexually active women aged 15-44, 10% had a partner who was three or more years younger, 52% a partner who was within two years of their age, 20% a partner who was 3-5 years older, and 18% a partner who was six or more years older. In contrast, 64% of sexually active women aged 15-17 had a partner within two years of their age, 29% a partner who was 3-5 years older, and 7% a partner who was six or more years older. Among women younger than 18, the pregnancy rate among those with a partner who was six or more years older was 3.7 times as high as the rate among those whose partner was no more than two years older. Among women younger than 18 who became pregnant, those with a partner who was six or more years older were less likely to have an unintended pregnancy (70%) or to terminate an unintended pregnancy (21%) than were those whose partner was no more than two years older (82% and 49%, respectively). Among women younger than 18 who were at risk of unintended pregnancy, 66% of those who had a partner who was six or more years older had practiced contraception at last sex, compared with 78% of those with a partner within two years of their own age. Young women who were Catholic and those who had first had sex with their partner within a relatively committed relationship were less likely to be involved with a man who was six or more years older than were young women who were Protestants and those who first had sex with their partner when they were dating, friends or had just met. Young women who had ever been forced to have sex were twice as likely as those who had not to have a partner who was 3-5 years older. CONCLUSION: Although the proportion of 15-17-year-old women who have a much older partner is small, these adolescents are of concern because of their low rate of contraceptive use and their relatively high rates of pregnancy and birth. Research is needed to determine why some young women have relationships with an older man, and how their partner's characteristics affect their reproductive behavior.

PIP: Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), a nationally representative survey of 10,847 women aged 15-44 years, and the 1994-95 Alan Guttmacher Institute Abortion Patient Survey, together with supplemental data from other sources, were used to estimate 1994 pregnancy rates for women by their age and marital status, according to the age difference between the women and their partner. Among all sexually active women, 10% had a partner who was 3 or more years younger, 52% a partner within 2 years of their age, 20% a partner 3-5 years older, and 18% a partner 6 or more years older. 64% of sexually active women aged 15-17 years had a partner within 2 years of their age, 29% a partner 3-5 years older, and 7% a partner 6 or more years older. Among women under 18 years old, the pregnancy rate among those with a partner 6 or more years older was 3.7 times higher than the rate among those whose partner was no more than 2 years older. Among women under age 18 who became pregnant, those with a partner 6 or more years older were less likely to have an unintended pregnancy or to terminate an unintended pregnancy than were those whose partner was no more than 2 years older. Among women under age 18 at risk of unintended pregnancy, 66% of those with a partner 6 or more years older used contraction at most recent sex, compared with 78% of those with a partner within 2 years of their own age. Young Catholic women and those who had first had sex with their partner within a relatively committed relationship were less likely to be involved with a man who was 6 or more years older than were young women who were Protestants and those who first had sex with their partner when they were dating, friends, or had just met.

Pregnancy rates among U.S. women and their partners in 1994.

CONTEXT: When rates of pregnancy, birth and abortion are calculated only for the women involved, men's role in reproduction is ignored, resulting in limited understanding of their influence on these outcomes. METHODS: Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth and from the 1994-1995 Alan Guttmacher Institute Abortion Patient Survey were combined with national natality statistics to estimate pregnancy rates in 1994 for women and their male partners, by age and marital status at the time of conception. RESULTS: Nine percent of both men and women aged 15-44 were involved in conceiving a pregnancy in 1994 (excluding those resulting in miscarriages). Pregnancy levels were highest among women aged 20-24 and among male partners aged 25-29. Men younger than 20 were involved in about half as many pregnancies as were women this age (9% compared with 18%). In contrast, men aged 35 and older were involved in roughly twice as many pregnancies as were similarly aged women (19% compared with 9%). Three out of every four pregnancies in 1994 resulted in a birth. However, 47% of pregnancies involving men younger than 18 ended in abortion, compared with about 34% of those involving men aged 40 and older. In comparison, 31% of pregnancies among women younger than 18 resulted in abortion, while 39% of those among women aged 40 and older were terminated. CONCLUSION: The overall rate at which men were involved in causing a pregnancy is similar to the pregnancy rate among women. Men are typically older than women when they are involved in a pregnancy, however. This implies that men may bring more experience and resources to the pregnancy experience.

PIP: This study examines pregnancy rates and pregnancy outcomes among US women and their male partners in 1994. Sources of data include the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth, the 1994-95 Alan Guttmacher Institute Abortion Patient Survey, and statistics records of the National Center for Health Statistics. Findings revealed that 9% of both men and women aged 15-44 were involved in conceiving a pregnancy in 1994. Pregnancy levels were highest among women aged 20-24 and among 25-29 year old male partners. In addition, men younger than age 20 and women were engaged in 9% and 18% of pregnancies, respectively. A significantly contrasting result was noted among men and women aged 35 and older; 19% of men and 9% of women were involved in pregnancies at these ages. Furthermore, the study indicated that 3 out of every 4 pregnancies in 1994 resulted in a birth. However, 47% of pregnancies involving men below 18 years resulted in abortion, compared with about 34% of those involving men aged 40 and older. In comparison, 31% of pregnancies among women below 18 years old ended up in abortion, while 39% of those among women aged 40 and older were terminated. Although there are similarities in the levels and distributions of pregnancies among both sexes, the findings indicate that among couples involved in pregnancy, it is common for men to be older than women.