title: The relationship between HIV-related knowledge and safe sexual behavior in African American women dwelling in the rural southeast.
abstract: There is an epidemiological shift toward increased rates of HIV infection in African American women, despite widely available information regarding HIV prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between HIV-related knowledge and high-risk sexual behavior while controlling for related variables. A multivariate regression model was selected to differentiate the effects of these variables. The participants were 75 African American women, aged 18 to 38. The results indicated a positive relationship between HIV-related knowledge and high-risk sexual behaviors using the Pearson's r correlation coefficient (0.411, p < .001). Age of first sexual experience, number of lifetime sexual partners, income, educational level, and level of HIV-related knowledge were then regressed onto level of high risk sexual behavior using a hierarchical techniques. Only total years of education achieved statistical significance (p < .001 on the first step and p < .05 on the second step).
authors.affiliation: Florida State University, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whyte
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Standing
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Madigan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology