Table. 2.
Five class latent classes of sexual risk, mental health, and polysubstance use among US adolescents, 2021
| Latent class indicators | Complex high-risk n(%) 2478 (14.6%) | Moderate risk experimenters n (%) 2563 (15.1%) | Recent polysubstance use/Covid distress n (%) 2068 (12.2%) | Low-risk/COVID distress n (%) 2883 (17.0%) | Low-risk n (%) 7003 (41.2%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol use | |||||
| Never | 0.025 | 0.417 | 0.142 | 0.682 | 0.832 |
| Ever | 0.247 | 0.368 | 0.358 | 0.223 | 0.124 |
| Recent | 0.728 | 0.214 | 0.500 | 0.096 | 0.044 |
| Marijuana use | |||||
| Never | 0.062 | 0.673 | 0.335 | 0.968 | 0.980 |
| Ever | 0.244 | 0.200 | 0.319 | 0.020 | 0.014 |
| Recent | 0.695 | 0.127 | 0.346 | 0.013 | 0.006 |
| Cigarette use | |||||
| Never | 0.370 | 0.859 | 0.601 | 0.982 | 0.985 |
| Ever | 0.405 | 0.133 | 0.325 | 0.018 | 0.015 |
| Recent | 0.226 | 0.008 | 0.074 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| E-cigarette use | |||||
| Never | 0.047 | 0.619 | 0.131 | 0.929 | 0.946 |
| Ever | 0.164 | 0.267 | 0.402 | 0.070 | 0.049 |
| Recent | 0.788 | 0.114 | 0.467 | 0.001 | 0.005 |
| Feeling depressed | |||||
| No | 0.263 | 0.577 | 0.357 | 0.138 | 0.933 |
| Yes | 0.737 | 0.423 | 0.643 | 0.862 | 0.067 |
| Suicidal ideation | |||||
| No | 0.490 | 0.799 | 0.651 | 0.583 | 0.991 |
| Yes | 0.510 | 0.201 | 0.349 | 0.417 | 0.009 |
| Age of first sex | |||||
| Never | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
| 11 to 13 | 0.275 | 0.153 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 14 | 0.274 | 0.184 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 15 | 0.232 | 0.264 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 16 or older | 0.219 | 0.399 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Number of partners | |||||
| None | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
| 1 | 0.335 | 0.640 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 0.214 | 0.168 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 3 or more | 0.451 | 0.192 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Drugs/alcohol last sex | |||||
| Never had sex | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
| Yes | 0.340 | 0.039 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| No | 0.660 | 0.961 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Condom use last sex | |||||
| Never had sex | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
| Yes | 0.430 | 0.648 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| No | 0.570 | 0.352 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| COVID MH | |||||
| Never/rarely | 0.210 | 0.383 | 0.228 | 0.045 | 0.633 |
| Sometimes | 0.183 | 0.295 | 0.250 | 0.233 | 0.269 |
| Most of the time/always | 0.606 | 0.323 | 0.522 | 0.722 | 0.098 |
| Parent COVID job loss | |||||
| No | 0.650 | 0.743 | 0.670 | 0.739 | 0.835 |
| Yes | 0.350 | 0.257 | 0.330 | 0.261 | 0.165 |
*Latent class definitions: Class 1—not sexually active and did not use substances; Class 2—polysubstance experimenters; Class 3—not sexually active but polysubstance users with suicidal ideation and depression; Class 4—engaged in sexual risk behaviors and polysubstance use.