The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #46105

Jodi Clark, MD¹, Ligia Martinez, MA¹, Barbara A. Lucenko, PhD², Jessy Dévieux, PhD¹, and Robert M. Malow, PhD³. (1) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, 1695 NW 9th Avenue Suite 3208, Miami, FL 33136, 305-355-9001, jclark1025@aol.com, (2) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, University of Miami, 1695 NW 9th Avenue, Suite 3208 D-21, Miami, FL 33136, (3) Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, 1695 N.W. 9th Avenue, Suite 3208 (D-21), Miami, FL 33136

Severely mentally ill (SMI) adults engage in high-risk sex activities that increase their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. The use of condoms has been a key element of risk reduction among severely mentally ill adults. However, much is still unknown about gender-related differences in condom skills and attitudes in this population. To address the current lack of pertinent knowledge in this area, we examined baseline data from 222 male and 197 female, inner city, culturally diverse (19.5% Hispanic, 50.1% African-American, 24.6% Caucasian, 5.0%, Other) alcohol and drug abusing SMI adults in an ongoing NIH-funded HIV prevention program. Rates of unprotected sex, condom skills and condom attitudes were analyzed by gender, with a significantly high proportion of the sample reporting recent unprotected sex. Condom skills were assessed by the participants successfully demonstrating a standard of nine steps on a penile model. Analyses revealed significant associations between gender, condom skills and condom attitudes. Specifically, women were significantly more likely to be skilled than men at the following: rolling condom onto the penis, removing air from condom, leaving space at tip of condom for ejaculation, pinching tip and removing condom from base, and disposing condom (all p’s < .05). Women were significantly more likely to have more favorable condom attitudes than men, suggesting that condom attitudes mediate the association between gender and condom skills (p<.05). The implications for considering gender differences in condom skills and attitudes in the design of SMI prevention programs is discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• List gender-based differences on specific condom errors in a chronically mentally ill population.
• Articulate the relationship amongst condom attitudes, condom skills, and gender in a high HIV risk severely mentally ill population.

Keywords: HIV Risk Behavior, Mental Illness

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Health Promotion Programs -University of Miami
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.