Socioecological Factors in Sexual Decision Making among Urban Girls and Young Women

The findings provide insight into the socioecological context in which girls are situated as they navigate sexual decision making. Unsupervised, cloistered time coupled with peer norms to engage in sexual behavior may contribute to increased risky sexual behavior among some youth. Prevention efforts should consider neighborhood context and incorporate structural and community‐level interventions to create social environments that support healthy sexual decision making.