Search

Artists and scientists express their understanding of sexual behavior differently. Artists use visual and spatial composition; scientists use collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. However, both art and science are [...]

This study assessed the psychosocial factors associated with contraceptive use among inner-city women at risk for HIV/STDs by using the transtheoretical model of behavior change. The five-city study group of women aged 15 to 34 years was recruited from neighborhoods, social service agencies and shelters (n = 998). We measured stages of change for contraceptive use and assessed theoretically proposed factors associated with being at a higher stage. Variables such as perceived advantages of contraceptive use and normative support for use were very important at early stages, but less important in later stages. However, sell-efficacy was important in both early (OR = 1.5) and later (OR = 1.6) stages, suggesting that women's confidence in their ability to initiate and sustain contraceptive use is crucial.

We examined factors associated with women's perceived advantages (pros), perceived disadvantages (cons), and decisional balance (standardized pros score minus standardized cons score) for condom use with main partner. Data from 1,938 young sexually active women who lived in five U.S. cities where the risk for human immunodeficiency virus is high were analyzed by using logistic, ordinal, and multiple linear regression analysis. For the pros scale of condom use, 27% of the women had low scores, and 33% had moderate scores. For the cons scale, 27% had moderate scores, and 5% had high scores. Of the total, 47% had a negative score on the decisional balance measure. Older age, living with a spouse or partner, or binge drinking was associated with lower pros scores and with a negative score on the decisional balance measure. Income from public assistance was associated with higher pros scores. Income from a spouse or partner or a history of sexually transmitted disease was associated with lower pros scores. Multiple sex partners or being at risk for HIV infection (based on perceptions of the main partner's behaviors) was associated with higher cons scores. Income from a job was associated with a positive score on the decisional balance measure. Our analysis identified the characteristics of women who have low pros scores, high cons scores, and negative decisional balance scores. The regression results can inform our work in HIV prevention on whether to focus on the pros, the cons, or both to obtain positive decisional balance scores and increase condom use in situations that warrant protective behaviors. KEYWORDS. HIV prevention, decisional balance, condom use, at-risk women, heterosexual transmission, sexual behavior change

The authors discuss HIV prevention research for men who have sex with men. The topics of interest include the study of behavioral effects of rigorously evaluated interventions for men who have sex with men and of the effects of interventions for these men on unprotected sex, use of condom and sex patrner numbers.

The authors discuss the use of meta-analysis in examining behavioral and social interventions for heterosexual adults. The topics of interest include the effect of these interventions on the adoption of the heterosexual adults safer sex behaviors or on the incidences of sexually transmitted diseases.

The authors discuss U.S-based HIV intervention studies. The topics of interest include the effectiveness of these studies in reduction of drug users' sexual behavior via the reduction of unprotected sex or via the increased use of male condoms.

The authors discuss the studies on HIV prevention. The topics of interest include the protocol of analytical method for the synthesis of behavioral and biologic outcome data from HIV intervention studies.

The authors discuss the studies on response to HIV/AIDS epidemics in both the United States and in other countries. The topics of interest are the experience of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Synthesis project with aquiring and reviewing these studies, the efforts to find them and the necessity to include the reports of non-U.S.-based HIV risk reduction intervention studies in Prevention Research Synthesis detabase.

The authors discuss behavioral and social intervention studies aimed at reducing HIV infection risk. The topics of interest include the study of the characteristics of behavioral and social intervention and the examination of reporting extent on variables which are important for the development, transfer and evaluation of intervention research.

The authors discuss the research on HIV prevention. The topics of interest include the role of research syntheses in HIV prevention and the use of the syntheses in combining information from studies via research design, measurement procedures and samples that are not identical and can help to imrove the quality and utility of future research.

The authors discuss the publications on prevention of infection with HIV. The topics of interest include the methodology of the HIV/AIDS prevention research and the quantification of how well current prevention programs work or do not work.

Many women who are at risk for HIV do not regularly use condoms, particularly with their main partners. In this paper we examine factors related to self-efficacy for condom use with main and other partners and self-efficacy for birth control in 2864 women interviewed in five urban high-risk communities. Limited social and economic resources, dependence on a main partner, and risk factors, including exchanging sex for money or drugs and binge drinking, were found to be negatively related to self-efficacy. Segmentation analysis identified groups of women with low self-efficacy who should be the focus of preventive interventions. KEYWORDS. HIV prevention, self-efficacy, condom use, birth control

This study: 1) examined the rate and correlates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity; and 2) assessed whether self-selection in HIV testing influenced the rate and correlates of HIV seropositivity in a group of out-of-treatment drug users. Data were collected from 856 out-of-treatment drug users in Philadelphia between January 1993 and August 1994. Seventy-four percent of the sample elected to take an HIV test that was included in the project in which the drug users were enrolled, and of these, 11% were HIV positive. Multivariate analyses indicated that those who were younger, those who had an injection-drug-using sex partner, and those who reported no recent sexual activity were more likely to be HIV positive. An examination of the multivariate correlates of HIV testing indicated that subjects who took an HIV test had higher rates of participation in some risk behaviors than did subjects who did not take an HIV test, but lower rates for other risk behaviors. None of the correlates of HIV seropositivity were correlates of HIV testing. Although the generalizability of the HIV seroprevalence rate is unclear, it is probable that the correlates of HIV seropositivity are generalizable to the total sample. The results of this study indicate the importance of interventions that target sexual risk behavior among out-of-treatment drug users, and of assessing the impact of self-selection bias whenever the rate and correlates of HIV seropositivity are examined., INTRODUCTION Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) remains a serious threat to all drug users, especially to those who are not in treatment for their drug use. Existing research indicates that [...]

The objective of this study was (1) to assess the validity of self-report measures of opiate and cocaine use for a sample of out-of-treatment drug users by comparing self-reports to urinalysis results, and (2) to examine the correlates of valid self-reports. Baseline data were collected from 1,015 out-of-treatment drug users in Philadelphia as part of an HIV risk reduction intervention project funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Agreement rates, sensitivity, and specificity measurements were high, and kappa values were good indicating that out-of-treatment drug users provided moderately valid self-reported drug use. The multivariate analysis revealed that women and younger persons were more likely to validly report opiate use and those who were younger and more educated were more likely to give valid reports of cocaine use. Additional research is needed to better understand differences in the validity of self-reports of opiate and cocaine use and the role that urinalysis plays in influencing the validity of self-reported data.

Crack use has been associated with increased risk for HIV seropositivity. This study was undertaken to examine HIV-related risk behaviors among crack users in East Harlem, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, two northeastern communities which have reported extensive crack use. Crack users recruited in East Harlem (n = 1434) and Philadelphia (n = 694) were compared on demographics, drug and sex-related risk behaviors, health-related behaviors, and HIV serostatus. Many significant differences were found, and seropositivity was higher in the New York sample (25% vs. 11%, [chi.sup.2] = 36.28, p < .001). Being a recent drug injector was a significant predictor of seropositivity in both communities, and differences between communities were found in additional predictors of serostatus. Results suggest that tailored HIV interventions may be needed for different communities. In addition, aggregate data across communities, even those that may be in geographical proximity, may obfuscate differences important to incorporate in developing prevention/intervention efforts., INTRODUCTION By the middle of 1996, there were more than one-half million (548,102) documented AIDS cases in the United States (1). Greater than one out of six of these cases [...]

This study examined condom use with main partners by surgically sterilized and non-sterilized women at risk for HIV infection. Data were obtained from 379 African American women residing in low-income urban communities. Sterilized women were one-fifth as likely as non-sterilized women to use condoms. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that for both groups of women, higher perceived benefits of condom use for disease prevention were associated with condom use. In addition, younger age, self-efficacy for condom use, peer support for condom use, and whether condoms were ever used for pregnancy prevention were associated with condom use among non-sterilized women. Results of this study indicate the role of fertility status in condom use and the value of developing targeted prevention programs that reach women at high risk for HIV infection. Risk reduction programs need to emphasize the role of condoms in disease prevention and address attitudes towards condom use. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: getinfo@haworth.com]

This study presents the results of a needs assessment survey conducted with 66 incarcerated women in a large Philadelphia county jail during the winter of 1993. Results indicated that prior to incarceration, these women engaged in very high risk sexual and drug use behaviors, and had experienced a myriad of other problems that may contribute to their risk for HIV infection. Of the 66 women who participated in the study, over three-fourths had used crack cocaine, nearly one-half had traded sex for drugs or money in the six months prior to incarceration, one-third reported a prior history of injection drug use, and one-half reported sexual contact with a male partner who injected drugs. In addition, one-fourth of the study sample had been homeless during the year prior to incarceration, one-half reported a prior history of sexual abuse, three-fourths had been physically beaten by a boyfriend or spouse, and nearly one-half had a prior history of syphilis. Although limited in scope, the results of the study have important implications for developing relevant jail-based HIV risk reduction programs for women. The results provide strong evidence for the need for interventions that address not only the HIV-related risk behaviors of incarcerated women, but also the underlying social problems that contribute to their risk of HIV infection.