@article {5258, title = {Economic Resources and HIV Preventive Behaviors Among School-Enrolled Young Women in Rural South Africa (HPTN 068).}, journal = {AIDS and behavior}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Jun 3}, abstract = {Individual economic resources may have greater influence on school-enrolled young women{\textquoteright}s sexual decision-making than household wealth measures. However, few studies have investigated the effects of personal income, employment, and other financial assets on young women{\textquoteright}s sexual behaviors. Using baseline data from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 068 study, we examined the association of ever having sex and adopting sexually-protective practices with individual-level economic resources among school-enrolled women, aged 13-20~years (n~=~2533). Age-adjusted results showed that among all women employment was associated with ever having sex (OR 1.56, 95~\% CI 1.28-1.90). Among sexually-experienced women, paid work was associated with changes in partner selection practices (OR 2.38, 95~\% CI 1.58-3.58) and periodic sexual abstinence to avoid HIV (OR 1.71, 95~\% CI 1.07-2.75). Having money to spend on oneself was associated with reducing the number of sexual partners (OR 1.94, 95~\% CI 1.08-3.46), discussing HIV testing (OR 2.15, 95~\% CI 1.13-4.06), and discussing condom use (OR 1.99, 95~\% CI 1.04-3.80). Having a bank account was associated with condom use (OR 1.49, 95~\% CI 1.01-2.19). Economic hardship was positively associated with ever having sex, but not with sexually-protective behaviors. Maximizing women{\textquoteright}s individual economic resources may complement future prevention initiatives.}, issn = {1573-3254}, author = {Jennings, Larissa and Pettifor, Audrey and Hamilton, Erica and Ritchwood, Tiarney D and Xavier G{\'o}mez-Oliv{\'e}, F and MacPhail, Catherine and Hughes, James and Selin, Amanda and Kahn, Kathleen} }