title: Factors influencing HIV-risk behaviors among HIV-positive urban African Americans.
abstract: Urban African Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV, the virus associated with AIDS. Although incidence and mortality appear to be decreasing in some populations, they continue to remain steady among inner-city African Americans. A major concern is the number of HIV-positive individuals who continue to practice high-risk behaviors. Understanding factors that increase risks is essential for the development and implementation of effective prevention initiatives. Following a constructionist epistemology, this study used ethnography to explore social and cultural factors that influence high-risk behaviors among inner-city HIV-positive African Americans. Leininger's culture care diversity and universality theory guided the study. Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with HIV-positive African Americans in the community to explore social and cultural factors that increase HIV-risky behaviors. For this study, family/kinship, economic, and education factors played a significant role in risky behaviors. Reducing HIV disparity among African Americans is dependent on designing appropriate interventions that enhance protective factors. Clinicians providing care to HIV-positive individuals can play a key role in reducing transmission by recognizing and incorporating these factors when designing effective prevention interventions.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, School of Nursing, Baltimore, USA.
authors.forename: Keith O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Plowden
authors.forename: Audwin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: J Lawrence
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D002423:Cause of Death; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009742:Nursing Theory; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016746:Transcultural Nursing; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data