The current study results point to the need for STI/teen pregnancy prevention efforts that focus on slowing the rate of increase in alcohol use in early adolescence. Such psycho-educational intervention efforts may be delivered effectively in schools (Toler et al. 2000), and may reduce both high-risk sexual behaviors as well as alcohol use-related problems (Cooperman et al. 2005). However, culturally tailored prevention programming is needed, given that alcohol use serves as a differential risk mechanism for girls of African American and European American race. Our results further highlight the disproportionate vulnerability of African American girls for sexual risk-taking, irrespective of emerging use of alcohol, and indicate a need for focused interventions to improve sexual health behaviors. Prior work has demonstrated the effectiveness of peer and adult-led programs that are skills-based, age appropriate, and that use cognitive-behavioral principles to elicit safer sex practices among adolescents (e.g., CDC 2010; Jemmott et al. 2006). Nevertheless, contextual factors that are differentially distributed by race may partially explain race differences in sexual risk-taking as well as the associated negative consequences. Such factors need to be identified and incorporated into universal prevention efforts.
