Identifying diverse HIV risk groups among American Indian young adults: the utility of cluster analysis.
We demonstrate the utility of cluster analysis for identifying diverse HIV risk groups found in a community-based sample. Within a group of 706 American Indian young adults, we used cluster analysis to identify four profiles of HIV risk/protection. The High Efficacy/Low Risk cluster had high levels of knowledge/education, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations about HIV protection, with low levels of risk behaviors. Low Efficacy/Low Risk had low levels of HIV knowledge/education, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations, but high levels of perceived risk for HIV with low levels of HIV risk behaviors. Low Efficacy/Moderate Risk was similar to the previous group, but its members had moderately higher levels of several risk behaviors and higher condom use. Low Efficacy/High Risk had high rates of several high-risk behaviors such as exchanging sex for money or injection drug use. Validation analyses highlighted differences that can be useful for the development of preventive interventions.
American Indian and Alaska Native Programs, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA. christina.mitchell@uchsc.edu
Christina M
CM
Mitchell
Carol E
CE
Kaufman
Janette
J
Beals
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001364:Awareness; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D012309:Risk-Taking; D020377:Self Efficacy