Low risk sexual and drug-using behaviors among Latina women with AIDS in Los Angeles County.
Latina women represent nearly half of all females diagnosed with AIDS in Los Angeles County, yet little is known about their risk behaviors compared to women of other race/ethnicities. Compared to white and African American women with AIDS, Latinas with AIDS had fewer lifetime male sexual partners (P < .0001); reported fewer sexually transmitted diseases (OR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.1, 0.5); were less likely to trade sex for drugs/money (OR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.5); and were less likely to report exposure to HIV via injection drug use (OR = 0.3; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.99). Latinas were also more likely to be single mothers (OR = 3.02; 95% CI: 1.4, 6.4); less likely to receive public assistance (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.70); were less likely to have completed high-school (OR = 0.11; 95% CI: .04, .31) and were more likely to never have had health insurance (OR = 2.44; 95% CI: 1.15, 5.18). The data demonstrate low-risk behaviors for Latinas and underscores the challenge of delivering effective HIV prevention to women without traditional risk profiles.
HIV Epidemiology Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90005, USA. awohl@ph.lacounty.gov
Amy Rock
AR
Wohl
Wendy
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Garland
Susan
S
Cheng
Bhrett
B
Lash
Denise F
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Johnson
Douglas
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Frye
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000635:transmission*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D015141:Los Angeles; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000208:ethnology*; D055815:Young Adult