A Comparison of the Sexual Risk Behaviors of Asian American and Pacific Islander College Students and Their Peers

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda

Background and purpose center on neglected AAPI health research by examining sexual risk behaviors among AAPI community college students. Using items from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey, the study compares 138 AAPI participants with 328 non-Asian peers through z-test analyses. Results show AAPI participants more often report abstinence, fewer sexual partners, condom use, and a higher history of STDs, highlighting the role of early parent-adolescent sexual communication for prevention programs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Population context and research gaps

Evidence from prior health literature

Purpose

Research Article A Comparison of the Sexual Risk Behaviors of Asian American and Pacific Islander College Students and Their Peers Rebecca Arliss ABSTRACT Background: Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) have been neglected in health research. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to (1) describe the sexual risk behaviors of a sample of AAPI community college students using questions from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey, and (2) to compare the sexual risk behaviors of AAPI study participants (n=138) to their non-Asian peers (n=328). Methods: Comparisons were made between AAPI and non-Asian study participants using a z-test. Results: AAPI study participants were significantly more likely than their non-Asian peers to practice abstinence, limit their number of sexual partners, and use condoms. An unexpected finding was that AAPI participants were more likely to report a history of a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Discussion: Research suggests that mother-daughter sexual communication during adolescence is a crucial prerequisite to the practice of safer sex behaviors. A lack of sexual communication with parents during childhood may contribute to higher rates of STDs later in life. Translation to Health Education Practice: Health educators who work with parents, adolescents, and young adults should include effective sexual communication skills in health promotion programs designed to prevent STDs and unintended pregnancy. BACKGROUND Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are one of the fastest growing segments of the American population. According to the 2000 U.S. census, 10.6 million Americans—4% of the total population—fall in this category. By the year 2050, AAPIsare projected to reach 41 million residents, or 11 percent of the population. The city with the largest AAPI population in the nation is New York.1 Yet, even as the number of AAPIs living in the United States has been steadily increasing, this minority group remains oneof the most neglected in health research.2-4 Where data exists for AAPIs, it often provides a misleading picture of a “model minority” characterized by higher educational achievement, a higher percentage employed in management or professional occupations, and a higher median annual income in comparison with other racial/ ethnic populations.1-4 Yet many recent AAPI immigrants live in poverty and struggle to overcome cultural and language barriers to upward mobility.4 The dearth of health research on the AAPI community suggests a “forgotten minority.”5 Chen’s3 recent analysis of the data tables in Healthy People 2010 6 found that AAPIs had the lowest percentage of baseline health survey data of any racial/ethnic group.3 Dr. Chen noted that theAAPI health data columns in those tables were most often categorized as “data not collected,”“data collected but not analyzed,”or “data statistically unreliable due to small sample size or lack of a representative sample.”3 Similarly, in a recent review of the MEDLINE medical literature database, Ghosh found that less than one percent of the articles published in the past forty years focused on the AAPIpopulation.2 Thus, while the AAPI population has been called the “healthy minority”—with national statistics showing a greater life expectancy, lower rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and a lower relative risk for many of the leading causes of death compared to other racial/ ethnic groups—the available data may not be painting a complete picture of their health behaviors.2-6 It is therefore not surprising that very little research has been reported on the sexual Rebecca Arliss is an associate professor at Kingsborough Community College–City University of New York (CUNY), 2001 Oriental Blvd., Brooklyn, NY 11235; E-mail: [rarliss@kbcc.cuny.edu](rarliss@kbcc.cuny.edu). Rebecca Arliss risk behaviors of AAPI college students.7-14 Understanding such behaviors is important to health educ

FAQs

What is the study purpose regarding AAPI college students?

The study aims to describe sexual risk behaviors among a sample of AAPI community college students and compare them with non-Asian peers.

How did the researchers compare AAPI and non-Asian participants?

Comparisons used z-tests between AAPI participants (n=138) and non-Asian peers (n=328) based on items from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey.

What key differences were found in sexual risk behaviors and STDs?

AAPI participants were more likely to practice abstinence, limit sexual partners, and use condoms, while also more likely to report a history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

How do the findings translate into health education practice?

Health educators should incorporate effective sexual communication skills for parents, adolescents, and young adults to prevent STDs and unintended pregnancy.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda