Few studies have examined the sociocultural determinants of risky sexual behavior trajectories among adult Latinas. To longitudinally examine the link between sociocultural determinants of risky sexual behaviors, we followed a sample of adult Latina mother-daughter dyads (n = 267) across a 10-year span through four waves of data collection. The present study investigates how risky sexual behavior (operationalized as sex under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, sex without a condom, or multiple sex partners) is affected by: (a) socioeconomic conditions; (b) mental health; (c) medical health; (d) acculturation to U.S. culture; (e) interpersonal support; (f) relationship stress; (g) mother-daughter attachment; (h) intimate partner violence; (i) religious involvement; and (j) criminal justice involvement. Results indicate the following factors are negatively associated with risky sexual behavior: drug and alcohol use, treating a physical problem with prescription drugs, religious involvement, and mother–daughter attachment. The following factors are positively associated with risky sexual behavior: higher number of mental health symptoms, being U.S.-born, and criminal justice involvement. We discuss implications for the future development of culturally relevant interventions based on the study findings.

Throughout the past decade, HIV rates in Florida—particularly South Florida, where many Latina seasonal farmworkers reside and work—have ranked among the highest in the nation. In this brief report, we delineate important lessons learned and preliminary findings from the implementation of the HIV prevention intervention Progreso en Salud (Progress in Health). Among the 114 Latina seasonal farmworker participants, there were significant increases from baseline to 6-month follow-up in the percentages of overall condom use, HIV testing, HIV/AIDS-related communications with friends, HIV knowledge, condom use self-efficacy, and correct use of condoms. Lessons learned from this study can be used to inform future HIV intervention strategies to improve the adoption and maintenance of HIV risk reduction behaviors among high-risk Latina seasonal workers and other high-risk underserved populations. Future research is needed to support our findings.

We examined the perception of adolescent children’s marijuana use and its consequences in the Hispanic seasonal farmworking community of South Florida via three focus groups with Hispanic adult female seasonal workers (n = 29). The women described how adolescents’ marijuana use increased over the past five years. Social networks for marijuana use were reported near schools and bus stations. Although participants expressed concern over adolescent marijuana use and involvement in selling marijuana, they reported that their job demands preclude their ability to supervise their children. Participants do not report unlawful marijuana use due to fear of deportation.

Emotional abuse is the most prevalent form of violence against Latinas. We examined dimensions and characteristics of Latino mothers’ and daughters’ exposure to emotional abuse and the associations between emotional abuse and heavy alcohol use and illicit drug illicit substance abuse. This 5-year longitudinal study included 112 Latino mothers and 121 Latino daughters. Analyses included: chi-square test and logistic regression. The proportion of women who reported being emotionally abused at Wave 2 but who did not report any emotional abuse during Wave 1 (5 years total) was 21.2% for daughters and 14.3% for mothers. Among emotionally abused women, 33.3% of mothers and 36.1% of daughters were abused by 2 or more people. Almost half of the mothers (48.0%) were emotionally abused by their son/daughter; 36.1% of daughters were emotionally abused by their mother. Mothers who abused drugs were more likely to be emotionally abused (OR = 3.86; 95% CI = 1.32, 11.34). Our findings suggest that attention should be given to emotional abuse and its potential for leading to substance abuse among Latinas.