Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Public Health Reports logoLink to Public Health Reports
. 1995 Nov-Dec;110(6):707–713.

Levels and Predictors of HIV Risk Behavior Among Women in Low-Income Public Housing Developments

Kathleen J Sikkema, Jeffrey J Koob, Victoria C Cargill, Jeffrey A Kelly, Laurie L Desiderato, Roger A Roffman, Ann D Norman, Michelle Shabazz, Crystal Copeland, Richard A Winett, Susan Steiner, Audie L Lemke
PMCID: PMC1381813  PMID: 8570824

Abstract

THE PREVALENCE OF increases in human immunodeficiency virus infection and illness rates among urban disadvantaged women underscore the urgent need for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome prevention interventions for high-risk women.

Few studies, however, have examined the factors contributing to risk in this population or predictors of risk taking and risk reduction.

A total of 148 women, most of them of racial minorities, living in low-income public housing developments completed measures designed to assess risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection and to analyze factors related to risk taking, including knowledge about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, behavior change self-efficacy, intention to use condoms, and social norm perception about safer sex practices. History of sexually transmitted diseases, low rates of condom use, and relationships with men who were injection drug users or who were not sexually exclusive were commonly reported.

Women were divided into high- or low-risk categories based on behavior during the two preceding months. Women at low risk believed more strongly in personal efficacy of behavior change, were more committed to using condoms, and perceived risk reduction steps as more socially normative than high-risk women. Culturally tailored human immunodeficiency virus prevention interventions that address these dimensions are needed.

Full text

PDF
707

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Blount W. R., Dembo R. Personal drug use and attitudes toward prevention among youth living in a high risk environment. J Drug Educ. 1984;14(3):207–225. doi: 10.2190/4Q48-M54W-GDU8-TG4V. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Catania J. A., Coates T. J., Kegeles S., Fullilove M. T., Peterson J., Marin B., Siegel D., Hulley S. Condom use in multi-ethnic neighborhoods of San Francisco: the population-based AMEN (AIDS in Multi-Ethnic Neighborhoods) Study. Am J Public Health. 1992 Feb;82(2):284–287. doi: 10.2105/ajph.82.2.284. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chu S. Y., Buehler J. W., Berkelman R. L. Impact of the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic on mortality in women of reproductive age, United States. JAMA. 1990 Jul 11;264(2):225–229. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ellerbrock T. V., Bush T. J., Chamberland M. E., Oxtoby M. J. Epidemiology of women with AIDS in the United States, 1981 through 1990. A comparison with heterosexual men with AIDS. JAMA. 1991 Jun 12;265(22):2971–2975. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fisher J. D., Fisher W. A. Changing AIDS-risk behavior. Psychol Bull. 1992 May;111(3):455–474. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.111.3.455. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Garbarino J., Sherman D. High-risk neighborhoods and high-risk families: the human ecology of child maltreatment. Child Dev. 1980 Mar;51(1):188–198. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ickovics J. R., Rodin J. Women and AIDS in the United States: epidemiology, natural history, and mediating mechanisms. Health Psychol. 1992;11(1):1–16. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.11.1.1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jemmott J. B., 3rd, Jemmott L. S., Fong G. T. Reductions in HIV risk-associated sexual behaviors among black male adolescents: effects of an AIDS prevention intervention. Am J Public Health. 1992 Mar;82(3):372–377. doi: 10.2105/ajph.82.3.372. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jemmott L. S., Jemmott J. B., 3rd Applying the theory of reasoned action to AIDS risk behavior: condom use among black women. Nurs Res. 1991 Jul-Aug;40(4):228–234. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kelly J. A., Kalichman S. C., Kauth M. R., Kilgore H. G., Hood H. V., Campos P. E., Rao S. M., Brasfield T. L., St Lawrence J. S. Situational factors associated with AIDS risk behavior lapses and coping strategies used by gay men who successfully avoid lapses. Am J Public Health. 1991 Oct;81(10):1335–1338. doi: 10.2105/ajph.81.10.1335. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kelly J. A., Murphy D. A., Washington C. D., Wilson T. S., Koob J. J., Davis D. R., Ledezma G., Davantes B. The effects of HIV/AIDS intervention groups for high-risk women in urban clinics. Am J Public Health. 1994 Dec;84(12):1918–1922. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.12.1918. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kelly J. A., St Lawrence J. S., Brasfield T. L., Lemke A., Amidei T., Roffman R. E., Hood H. V., Smith J. E., Kilgore H., McNeill C., Jr Psychological factors that predict AIDS high-risk versus AIDS precautionary behavior. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1990 Feb;58(1):117–120. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.58.1.117. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kelly J. A., St Lawrence J. S., Hood H. V., Brasfield T. L. Behavioral intervention to reduce AIDS risk activities. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1989 Feb;57(1):60–67. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.57.1.60. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Mays V. M., Cochran S. D. Issues in the perception of AIDS risk and risk reduction activities by black and Hispanic/Latina women. Am Psychol. 1988 Nov;43(11):949–957. doi: 10.1037//0003-066x.43.11.949. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. McCray E., Onorato I. M. Sentinel surveillance of human immunodeficiency virus infection in sexually transmitted disease clinics in the United States. Sex Transm Dis. 1992 Jul-Aug;19(4):235–241. doi: 10.1097/00007435-199207000-00010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. McCusker J., Stoddard A. M., Zapka J. G., Zorn M., Mayer K. H. Predictors of AIDS-preventive behavior among homosexually active men: a longitudinal study. AIDS. 1989 Jul;3(7):443–448. doi: 10.1097/00002030-198907000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Nyamathi A., Bennett C., Leake B., Lewis C., Flaskerud J. AIDS-related knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors among impoverished minority women. Am J Public Health. 1993 Jan;83(1):65–71. doi: 10.2105/ajph.83.1.65. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Quinn T. C., Groseclose S. L., Spence M., Provost V., Hook E. W., 3rd Evolution of the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic among patients attending sexually transmitted disease clinics: a decade of experience. J Infect Dis. 1992 Mar;165(3):541–544. doi: 10.1093/infdis/165.3.541. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Rotheram-Borus M. J., Koopman C., Haignere C., Davies M. Reducing HIV sexual risk behaviors among runaway adolescents. JAMA. 1991 Sep 4;266(9):1237–1241. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sweeney P. A., Onorato I. M., Allen D. M., Byers R. H. Sentinel surveillance of human immunodeficiency virus infection in women seeking reproductive health services in the United States, 1988-1989. The Field Services Branch. Obstet Gynecol. 1992 Apr;79(4):503–510. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Public Health Reports are provided here courtesy of SAGE Publications

RESOURCES