Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116408

Maya Tholandi, MPH¹, Keisha Carr Paxton, PhD², Naomi Hall, MPH, MA³, and Jennifer K. Baham, MPH¹. (1) HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Branch, Office of AIDS, California Department of Health Services, MS 7700, P.O. Box 997426, Sacramento, CA 95899-7426, 916-449-5853, JBaham@dhs.ca.gov, (2) Center for AIDS Research, Education, and Services, Charles R. Drew University, 1731 E. 120th Street, Building N, Los Angeles, CA 90059, (3) Department of Psychology, Claremont Graduate University, School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, 150 E. Tenth Street, Claremont, CA 91711

Background: In California, African Americans continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, comprising 18% of AIDS cases and 20% of HIV cases reported as of December 2004, while representing only 7% of the state population. Information on self-reported health protective behaviors, including condom use and HIV disclosure, may assist local and statewide HIV prevention efforts. Methods: Charles R. Drew University in collaboration with the California State Office of AIDS surveyed a sample of HIV-positive African American adults in 2004. Ethnically matched interviewers at two urban health centers in Los Angeles County recruited African American adults who had known of his or her HIV-positive status for a minimum of six months. Survey items addressed individual's sexual and drug using risk behaviors, health-protective behaviors, HIV/AIDS-related service usage, and demographic information. Results: A total of 122 HIV-positive African Americans were interviewed. The sample was 70.5% male, 25.4% female, and 4.1% transgender. On average, individuals tested positive 9.5 years prior to the study. Reported sexual orientation included: 52.5% heterosexual, 23% gay or lesbian, 16.4% bisexual, and 5.7% identifying as ‘other'. Since learning of their HIV-positive status, 13.9% of the sample reported injecting drugs, 26.2% reported not using a condom during the last vaginal intercourse and 25.4% reported not using a condom during the last anal intercourse. 81% reported disclosing their HIV status to their last sexual partner. Conclusions: Understanding sexual risk behaviors and protective health practices of HIV-positive individuals will assist in developing culturally appropriate interventions for both HIV negative and positive African Americans.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to

• Describe the sexual risk behaviors among a sample of 122 HIV-positive African Americans in southern California.
• Describe the self-protective health practices among a sample of 122 HIV-positive African Americans in southern California.

Keywords: African American, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.