Social Correlates of HIV-Risky Behaviours among African Canadian Adolescents Living in British Columbia, Canada: A Secondary Data Analysis

HIGHLIGHTS: What are the main findings? African Canadian adolescents generally have low rates of HIV-risky behaviours; Rates increased from 2003 to 2018; particularly rates of condomless sex and sex due to the influence of drugs or alcohol; Of the sexually active in 2018, ≈50% had 2 or more partners and condomless sex at last intercourse; Unsafe neighbourhood, perceived racism and sexism were significant predictors of HIV-risky behavior. What are the implications of the main findings? Engagement in sexual risky behaviours may expose African, Caribbean and Black adolescents to HIV-risk. Addressing the impacts of social determinants of health and socioecologic factors such as the absence of familial support, the negative influence of peer pressure (physical and sexual abuse, and exposure to substances) can help mitigate engagement in HIV-risky behaviors among African, Caribbean and Black adolescents. The provision of safe, stable housing as well as feeling safe in schools can help mitigate engagement in HIV-risky behaviors among African, Caribbean and Black adolescents. Racism, sexism and various forms of intersecting stigma must be sufficiently addressed to curb rates of engagement in HIV-risky behaviours among African, Caribbean and Black adolescents. ABSTRACT: Studies have linked HIV-risky behaviours among young people to several socio-contextual factors. However, the social factors that might increase African Canadian adolescents’ exposure to HIV-risky behaviours, including unprotected sex and forced or multiple-sexual partnerships, have received little or no attention in the literature. Using data from the British Columbia Adolescent Health Surveys (2003–2018) and guided by intersectionality and socio-ecological frameworks, we examined the social determinants of HIV-risky behaviours (HRB) among African Canadian adolescents in British Columbia. We observed a general decline in HRB from 2008 to 2018. However, more than half (54.5%) of the 1042 who were sexually experienced in 2018 reported having 2 or more sexual partners, and nearly half reported condom-less sex. Our results demonstrate an important need to evaluate the impacts of several social factors on health outcomes for a unique, marginalized population.