Faculty Collaboration Database

Life optimism, substance use, and AIDS-specific attitudes associated with HIV risk behavior among disadvantaged innercity women. J Womens Health Gend Based Med 2000 Dec;9(10):1101-11

Date

01/12/2001

Pubmed ID

11153106

DOI

10.1089/152460900446018

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0034534728 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   52 Citations

Abstract

The development of more effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention programs for disadvantaged women requires identification of factors associated with risk. In the present study, 158 women - all of whom met criteria indicative of HIV risk - were recruited in innercity primary healthcare clinics and administered measurements that assessed variables in three domains believed pertinent to HIV sexual risk behavior: (1) substance use in the past 3 months, (2) acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-specific cognitive and attitudinal factors, including AIDS risk knowledge, condom attitudes, perceived risk for AIDS, behavior change intentions, and perceived self-efficacy, and (3) life context variables, including self-esteem, fatalism, personal optimism toward the future, and current life satisfaction. When women were categorized into highest and lower groups based on their recent risk behavior, AIDS-specific cognitive and attitudinal factors, as expected, differentiated the groups. However, women at highest risk for HIV also most often used a variety of substances and scored lower in self-esteem, held views more characterized by personal fatalism and low optimism concerning the future, and had greater life dissatisfaction than women at lower risk. HIV prevention programs for disadvantaged women require attention not only to AIDS-specific knowledge, attitudes, and skills development but also to broader issues of life context that, if unaddressed, may limit women's ability and motivation to reduce risk for HIV/AIDS.

Author List

Somlai AM, Kelly JA, Heckman TG, Hackl K, Runge L, Wright C

Author

Jeffrey A. Kelly PhD Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Adult
Attitude to Health
Female
HIV Infections
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Personal Satisfaction
Poverty
Risk Factors
Risk-Taking
Self Concept
Sexual Behavior
Substance-Related Disorders
Urban Population