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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Nadra C. Tyus, DrPH, Urban Health Institute, Johns Hopkins University, 111 Market Place, Suite 850, Baltimore, MD 21202, (410) 895-1116, ntyus@jhsph.edu, Robert L. Cook, MD, MPH, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 230 McKee Place, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, and Roberta B. Ness, MD MPH, Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health University of Pittsburgh, A527 Crabtree Hall 130 DeSoto street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261.

Background: Young, Black women are disproportionately affected by STDs. Attitudes toward STDs and STD testing may offer potential explanations regarding disparate STD rates.

Objectives: To describe attitudes and beliefs of young women regarding STDs and STD testing circumstances, determine if attitudes differ by race, and establish whether attitudes are associated with STD outcomes.

Methods: 385 women (76% Black, ages 14-25) were recruited as part of a larger study involving home STD screening behaviors. Women provided baseline information on socio-demographics, sexual behaviors, and 28 attitudes toward STDs. We determined the association between individual attitudes and three STD-related outcomes (past STD history, consistent condom use, and incident STD infection – chlamydia and gonorrhea).

Results: Racial differences were seen in 8 out of 28 attitude/belief statements. For example, Black women were more likely to agree that they could tell if they have an STD (61% vs. 38%, p<0.001) while White women were more likely to agree that it was hard to find time to get checked for an STD (58% vs. 29%, p<0.000). Fifteen of 28 attitude statements (i.e. agreeing that STDs will have symptoms, etc.) were associated with a past STD history whereas only 3 attitudes were associated with consistent condom use. No attitudes were related to an incident STD.

Conclusions: Overall, attitudes were mostly associated with past STD history; however, differences in attitudes did not directly correlate with STDs or condom use. Further research is needed in understanding potential racial differences in perceptions of STDs and barriers to STD-related services.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Recognize the need for comparative STD-preventive research that examines racial differences in testing behaviors, attitudes/beliefs toward testing, and provider screening behaviors and its potential impact on disparate STD rates in the United States.
• 2. Discuss attitudes and beliefs toward STDs and STD testing which could be addressed in components of STD-prevention programs which aim to increase knowledge concerning STDs and reduce barriers to STD testing.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No