Impact of current concerns on HIV concerns, HIV testing, and condom use

Abstract

Current concerns, condom use, and HIV testing intentions were examined among a sample of inner city women at risk for HIV. It is hypothesized that women of different demographic characteristics and sexual and drug risk histories will have different concerns. It is further hypothesized that women who are overwhelmed with multiple concerns will be less concerned about HIV/AIDS. Women's condom use and testing behaviors will be influenced by their risk history, HIV/AIDS concern, partner characteristics, previous testing experience, and concurrent concerns.;Demographic characteristics, sexual and drug risk history, condom use and HIV testing behaviors and intentions were assessed using a structured clinical interview. One way analyses of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the characteristics of women with different current concerns. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to determine which characteristics predict women's HIV/AIDS concerns, if concurrent concerns enhance or diminish women's HIV/AIDS concern, and how women's HIV/AIDS concerns were related to their HIV testing and condom use behaviors.;The data show that there are demographic and risk history differences among women reporting different current concerns. The data further show that when women were concerned with several things at once, they were less likely to be concerned about HIV/AIDS and less likely to have used a condom during their last sexual encounter or to accept a referral for HIV counseling and testing. The more risky women's sexual and drug use history, the more likely they were to use condoms and accept a referral for HIV counseling and testing.