142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

311909
Effect of neurocognitive impairment on condom use knowledge, self-efficacy, skills and intention among people living with HIV/AIDS

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Jonathan Batson , Dept. of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Miami, FL
Jessy G. Dévieux, Ph.D. , Dept. of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Michèle Jean-Gilles, Ph.D. , Dept. of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Jennifer Attonito, Ph.D. , Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, North Miami, FL
Background: Neurocognitive (NC) impairment may act as a barrier to condom use knowledge, skills, self-efficacy and intentions, particularly among substance-abusing people living with HIV (PLWH).

Methods: This cross-sectional study examined associations between STD/HIV knowledge, sexual assertiveness, demonstrated condom skills and condom self-efficacy on the outcome of intention to use condoms among PLWH in Miami, FL with a history of alcohol abuse (N =364). Participants were split by level of NC impairment: The “impaired” group scored at least one SD<normative means on ≥2 neurocognitive (NC) assessments. Backwards stepwise regression (rejection criterion >0.1) was used to assess relationships between variables for both groups.

Results: The mean age of participants was 44.8 (SD=7.25). Most were males (64%) and 145 (39.8%) were deemed to have some NC impairment. There were no significant differences between the impaired and not impaired groups on any study measures. For participants without NC impairment, self-efficacy (β=.13, p<.001) and sexual assertiveness (.40, p<.001) predicted condom use intention (r2=.31). STD/HIV knowledge was also associated with intention for this group, however in a counterintuitive direction (β=-.42, p<.001). For participants with NC impairment, STD/HIV knowledge dropped out and only self-efficacy (β=.10, p=.03) and sexual assertiveness (β=.47, p<.001) remained predictive of intention (r2=.26).

Conclusion: NC impairment may not affect condom use intention or meaningful predictors such as condom self-efficacy and sexual assertiveness. Impacts of impairment on STD/HIV knowledge should be further investigated using more rigorous NC assessment. Understanding the effects of NC impairment on protective sexual behaviors is important for developing targeted interventions.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
Analyze knowledge, efficacy and assertiveness factors that may influence condom use intentions among people living with HIV. Assess the degree to which neurocognitive impairment affects condom use intentions.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Risk Factors/Assesment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have over 5 years of experience in HIV-related peer education as well some years in basic science and public health research initiatives involving HIV/AIDS. I have also spent some time on analysis for this study.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4280.0: People Living with HIV/AIDS