title: Perceptions of HIV Risk and Explanations of Sexual Risk Behavior Offered by Heterosexual Black Male Barbershop Patrons in Brooklyn, NY.
abstract: To describe HIV risk factors among adult heterosexual Black men recruited from four barbershops located in high HIV seroprevalent neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NY. Data on HIV-risk related behaviors and other characteristics were collected from barbershop clients. All participants (n=60) completed brief risk assessments; and a subset (n=22) also completed focus groups and/or individual interviews. Of the subset of 22 men, 68% were US born, 59% had been in jail/prison, 32% were unemployed; and during the 3 months before the interviews, 68% reported at least two partners and 45% reported unprotected vaginal or anal sex with two or more women. Emergent themes included: 1) the psychological function of multiple partnerships; 2) calculated risk taking regarding condom use; 3) the role of emotional attachment and partner trust in condom use; 4) low perceived HIV risk and community awareness; and 5) lack of relationship between HIV testing and safer sex practices. Interventions among heterosexual Black men should focus not only on increasing HIV awareness and reducing sexual risk, but also on contextual and interpersonal factors that influence sexual risk.
authors.affiliation: SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Medicine/STAR Program.
authors.forename: Tonya N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: SUNY Downstate Medical Center, School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
authors.forename: Kirk D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Henny
authors.affiliation: Correctional Association of NYC.
authors.forename: Angelo R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agbetor
authors.affiliation: Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
authors.forename: Brignel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Camilien
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
authors.forename: Kim M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
authors.forename: Ruth C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.affiliation: Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: SUNY Downstate Medical Center, STAR Program.
authors.forename: Yolene
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gousse
authors.affiliation: Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
authors.forename: Raekiela D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: SUNY Downstate Medical Center, School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Tracey E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Wilson
keywords: Brooklyn, NY; HIV risk behaviors; Heterosexual men; Non-Hispanic Black men; Non-injection drug users