HIV and sexually transmitted infection risk behaviors and beliefs among Black West Indian immigrants and US-born Blacks.
OBJECTIVE
We compared Black West Indian immigrants' and US-born Blacks' sexual and drug-use risk behaviors and their beliefs related to using condoms and informing partners of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to identify possible differences in risk.


METHODS
We drew data from the baseline assessment of a clinic-based intervention designed to increase partner STI notification.


RESULTS
Black West Indian men were less likely than were US-born Black men to report nonregular partners. There were no differences in condom use. US-born Black women were more likely than were Black West Indian women to be extremely confident that they could convince their regular partners to use condoms (odds ratio [OR] = 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.21, 4.76), whereas there were no differences between Black West Indian and US-born Black men on this measure (interaction P = .06). US-born Black women were more likely than were Black West Indian women to be extremely confident in their ability to discuss STI screening with their regular partners (OR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.03, 3.47).


CONCLUSIONS
Black West Indian women's lower levels of confidence that they can discuss STI screening with their regular partners and convince these partners to use condoms may increase their infection risk. Gender-sensitive interventions are warranted for Black West Indian immigrants, especially women.
Hoffman
Susie
S
HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. sh51@columbia.edu
Beckford Jarrett
Sharlene T
ST
Kelvin
Elizabeth A
EA
Wallace
Scyatta A
SA
Augenbraun
Michael
M
Hogben
Matthew
M
Liddon
Nicole
N
McCormack
William M
WM
Rubin
Steve
S
Wilson
Tracey E
TE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000145:classification / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003151:Community Health Centers; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016358:Contact Tracing; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D012309:Risk-Taking; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology; D019037:Urban Health Services; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology