The neighborhoods and communities that adolescents live in may also influence their reproductive health behaviors. Numerous studies show that adolescents living in disadvantaged communities with high poverty rates and low levels of socioeconomic status have a greater risk of early sexual initiation and a greater risk of adolescent pregnancy and childbearing (Brewster, Billy, & Grady, 1993; Hogan & Kitagawa, 1985; Sucoff & Upchurch, 1998). Alternately, living in a community with higher socioeconomic status is associated with a reduced risk of risky sexual activity. Racial/ethnic composition also influences outcomes, although this may be through the presence or absence.
