(031) SEXUAL HEALTH AND REPRODUCTIVE EMPOWERMENT OF YOUNG ADULT ASIAN AMERICAN WOMEN
Authors: Huynh A , Patel K , Yan A , Chen C , Cacheiro A , Chang H , Sandhu M , Chang O 
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Seen as the “model minority,” Asian populations are often overlooked in conversations surrounding sexual health and reproductive experiences. In comparison to other minority groups, Asian American youth face a disproportionate lack of sexual health discussion with their healthcare providers and higher odds of multiple barriers to sexual and reproductive health services. Despite these challenges, there is no comprehensive assessment examining the sexual and reproductive health perspectives of Asian American women. Our study aims to address these gaps by using a diverse sampling of Asian American communities, providing a comprehensive assessment of the reproductive empowerment impacting young adult Asian American women.

Objective

To evaluate the disparities impacting sexual health and reproductive empowerment between Asian American women and their Caucasian counterparts.

Methods

A cross-sectional study at a public undergraduate institution was conducted among individuals who identified as assigned female at birth, 18-24 years old, and second-generation South, East, or Southeast Asian or Caucasian. Data was collected through in-person recruitment with undergraduate and graduate student-based organizations and electronically through student email lists from April to June 2024. Demographic information included reported ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual activity, income, and level of education. Our main outcome was the level of reproductive empowerment, as measured by the Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Scale (SRE) for Adolescents and Young Adults, a 23-item questionnaire that assessed youth perspectives across 7 domains: comfort talking with a partner, choice of partners, parental support, sexual safety, self-love, sense of future, and sexual pleasure. After ANOVA analysis showed significant differences in income among our groups, an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to adjust for the potential confounding effect of income and better examine the impact of ethnicity on sexual and reproductive empowerment through comparing adjusted mean differences in SRE scores and the 7 SRE domains.

Results

96 individuals participated in our study, with a mean age of 20.4 years old and an average SRE score of 70.36 (SD = 12.70). They mostly identified as heterosexual (78.1%), not currently sexually active (53.1%), and Asian (75%). Among our Asian cohort, our participants identified as mostly Southeast Asian (33.3%), heterosexual (76%), and not currently sexually active (51.4%). Our ANCOVA analysis found significant differences among SRE total score (p = 0.02), and 4 SRE domains – individual comfort talking with partner (p = 0.04), choice of partner (p = 0.001), self-love (p = 0.001), and sexual pleasure (p = .014) – between our diverse ethnic groups.

Conclusions

Among our study cohort of Asian and Caucasian women, our study identified significant differences in overall level of sexual and reproductive empowerment, as well as in specific domains such as choice of partner, self-love, and sexual pleasure. In addition, income emerged as a critical factor influencing sexual and reproductive empowerment. These findings highlight crucial areas of concern impacting the reproductive agency and autonomy of Asian American young adult women. Future research should investigate these ethnic disparities and underscore the need for culturally sensitive interventions to mitigate these gaps.

Disclosure

No.