Inner-city women and AIDS: the psycho-social benefits of unsafe sex.
The paper describes and analyzes findings from a larger study of the links between low levels of condom use and impoverished, urban, African-American women's experiences and understandings of heterosexual relationships. The research identifies and explores psycho-social barriers to safer-sex. This article examines, in detail, HIV/AIDS risk denial and women's strategic use of unsafe (condomless) sex and "monogamy narratives" to build and to maintain this denial. The tendency to view urban African-American women's conjugal affiliations as instrumental is questioned.
Sobo
E J
EJ
Department of Sociology/Anthropology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003.
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003144:Communication Barriers; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012945:Social Values