title: Self-esteem and "at risk" women:determinants and relevance to sexual and HIV-related risk behaviors.
abstract: In this study, we describe the relationship between self-esteem and HIV-related risk behaviors, and explore what factors predict self-esteem levels of "at risk" women. Interviews were conducted with 250 (predominantly African American) women living in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area between August 1997 and August 2000. A community identification process was used to identify potential study participants, with further expansion of the sample via targeted and theoretical sampling and ethnographic mapping procedures. Self-esteem was related to the number of times having oral sex, the number of times having sex with paying partners, the frequency of sexual risk-taking (all during the 90 days prior to interview), the number of different HIV risk behaviors practiced during the previous year, and condom use attitudes and self-efficacy. Greater involvement HIV risk behaviors was associated with lower self-esteem. Multivariate analyses revealed five significant predictors of women's self-esteem levels: race, religiosity, childhood experiences with emotional neglect, the number of money-related problems experienced, and the number of drug-related problems experienced. The findings indicate that self-esteem is highly relevant to "at risk" women's HIV risk behavior practices, and this has important implications for HIV intervention programs.
authors.affiliation: Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, 1st Floor, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Sterk
authors.forename: Hugh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Kirk W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Elifson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population