title: La mancha negra: substance abuse, violence, and sexual risks among Hispanic males.
abstract: Hispanics are disproportionately affected by substance abuse, intimate partner violence, and HIV. Although the relationship between these conditions has been documented in the literature, few studies have explored the intersection of these health problems and their culture-related risk factors in an integrative manner. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences that Hispanic heterosexual males in South Florida have with substance abuse, violence, and risky sexual behaviors. Three focus groups with a total of 25 Hispanic adult men are completed and analyzed using grounded theory. Three core categories emerge from the data. These include la cuna de problemas sociales (the cradle of social problems), ramas de una sola mata (branches from one same tree), and la mancha negra (the black stain). This study suggests that substance abuse, violence, and risky sexual behaviors are linked conditions with common cultural and socioenvironmental risk factors and consequences.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies, USA. rosagonzalez@miami.edu
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Guarda
authors.forename: Johis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Elias P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Vasquez
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Santis
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003415:Crime / Q000208:ethnology; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008571:Men / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012380:Role; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data