AIDS Knowledge and Risk Behaviors Among Culturally Diverse Women

• NCJ Number: 132136
• Journal: AIDS Education and Prevention Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (Summer 1991) Pages: 79-89
• Author(s): D F Harrison; K G Wambach; J B Byers; A W Imershein; P Levine; K Maddox; D M Quadagno; M L Fordyce; M A Jones
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 11 pages
• Grant Number(s): 462/CCU403278
• Sponsoring Agency: Ctr's for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A sample of 620 black, white, Hispanic, and Haitian nonpregnant women in Dade and Broward counties in South Florida were surveyed concerning their AIDS knowledge, prevalence of risk behaviors, and perceived vulnerability.

Abstract

The majority of the women surveyed possessed a fair amount of accurate information about AIDS and HIV infection and did not perceive themselves at risk for contracting the HIV virus. White women in this sample reported greater prevalence of intravenous drug risk behaviors than did the other racial groups, particularly in terms of intravenous drug use by the main sexual partner. There was a consistent prevalence of unprotected sexual behaviors with the main partner across all racial/ethnic groups. Over 40 percent of both the Hispanic and Haitian women and close to 20 percent of the black women indicated they would not use a condom with a seropositive partner. Dispelling the myth that AIDS risks exist only among small, identifiable groups emerges as imperative to effectively combating the HIV epidemic. 3 tables and 20 references (Author abstract modified)