Acceptance of HIV Antibody Testing Among Women in Domestic Violence Shelters.

The purpose of this study was to examine which factors derived from an adapted version of the Health Belief Model are associated with HIV testing among women at domestic violence shelters in the rural south (N = 112). Participants were administered self-report questionnaires to assess for test acceptance and were offered private and free HIV rapid testing. A logistic regression analysis was performed. Results indicated that higher perceived susceptibility and higher PTSD symptoms predicted a greater likelihood of HIV test acceptance. The most common reason given for not testing was a lack of time. Implications are discussed.

Prevalence and correlates of HIV testing among sexually active African American adolescents in 4 US cities.

BACKGROUND: Routine HIV testing is recommended for all adolescents ages 13 years and older. This study aims to report the prevalence of HIV testing among black adolescents, describe characteristics of adolescents who have been tested, and identify potentially modifiable factors associated with greater likelihood of testing across gender. METHODS: Black adolescents ages 13 to 18 were recruited from community-based outreach in 4 US cities. Present analyses include sexually active participants (N = 990; 52.3% female). RESULTS: Twenty-nine percent of adolescents had ever been tested for HIV. In a multivariate logistic regression adjusted for significant demographics, the strongest predictor of HIV testing among girls was prior STI testing (OR = 88.39) followed by pregnancy (OR = 2.75), risk reduction self-efficacy (OR = 2.28), and STI knowledge (OR = 2.25). Among boys, having had an STI test (OR = 38.09), having talked about testing with partners (OR = 3.49), and less religiosity (OR = 2.07) were associated with HIV testing. CONCLUSIONS: Blacks adolescents are disproportionately at risk for HIV/AIDS, yet less than one-third of participants reported being tested. Those receiving sexual or reproductive healthcare services were most likely to be tested, but many teens at risk for HIV do not seek available services and others may face barriers to accessing healthcare. Findings provide support for increasing school-based educational programs due to the low rates of STI/HIV knowledge among teens. Additionally, culturally-sensitive programs promoting HIV testing among teens should foster skill-building for preventive behaviors and increase partner communication about testing.

Lessons learned from a training collaboration between an Ivy League institution and a historically Black university.

The Miriam Hospital, Brown Medical School, and Jackson State University developed a joint training program for predoctoral, Black psychology students under the auspices of a training grant funded by the National Institutes of Health. The students in the program at Jackson State University had unlimited access to the clinical research resources and mentoring expertise at Brown Medical School. This innovative program began in 2001 and addresses the need for Black leaders in clinical research and academia who will focus on HIV and other infections that disproportionately affect the Black community. This collaboration has served as a bridge between an Ivy League institution and a historically Black university for training in clinical research to develop successful minority academicians.

The validity of the desired effects of drinking scale with a late adolescent sample.

This study evaluated the validity of the Desired Effects of Drinking Scale (DEoDS) with a late adolescent sample. This brief measure (37 items) was designed to assess reasons for drinking across 9 domains. Across a culturally diverse sample of late adolescents (ages 18-20 years), this measure evidenced high internal consistency, particularly when all items were summed in 1 full-scale score. Contrary to the factors found with adults, 8 factors emerged with this sample. No differences were found by culture, providing initial evidence for the cross-cultural validity of this measure. In addition, gender differences emerged for only 1 factor. Overall, the results provide empirical support for the use of this measure to assess late adolescents' and emerging adults' reasons for drinking.

A depression preventive intervention for rural low-income African-American pregnant women at risk for postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major health problem for many women, including rural low-income African-American women. Researchers have documented the long lasting consequences of PPD. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the initial acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of the ROSE Program, a brief, interpersonally-based intervention in a group of low-income, rural African-American pregnant women at risk for PPD. Participants were 36 African-American pregnant women at risk for PPD who attended a rural hospital-affiliated prenatal clinic. Participants were randomly assigned to the ROSE Program or to treatment as usual (TAU). Outcomes included measures of depressive symptoms, postpartum adjustment, and parental stress at 3 months postpartum. At 3 months postpartum, the study found no significant differences between the two conditions in degree of depressive symptoms or level of parental stress. The women in the intervention condition reported significantly better postpartum adjustment at 3 months postpartum than women in the TAU group. Those in the ROSE Program reported improvement in depressive symptoms over time, whereas women in the TAU group did not evidence such changes. These results provide initial effectiveness for the ROSE Program in improving postpartum functioning in a group of low-income, rural African-American pregnant women.

HIV testing among at-risk adolescents and young adults: a prospective analysis of a community sample.

PURPOSE: Little is known about predictors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among sexually active adolescents, who account for a large proportion of new HIV infections. This study sought to determine predictors of HIV testing among a large community-based sample of adolescents in three cities who had recent unprotected sexual intercourse. METHODS: Sexually active adolescents (N = 1222) completed baseline and 3-month assessments of sexual behavior, substance use and HIV testing behaviors as part of a larger, multi-site, brief HIV prevention program. RESULTS: Approximately half of the adolescents reported having previously been tested for HIV, and of those one third were tested in the next 3 months without a specific intervention. Adolescents who received HIV testing were more likely at baseline to have ever been tested, to have a STI diagnosis, to have not used substances during sex and to have been assertive about condom use with a partner. CONCLUSIONS: Health care models encouraging more widespread, universal testing may be an important public health initiative to curb the spread of HIV. Regular HIV screenings provide an opportunity to enhance awareness of behavioral risk and HIV status, as well as provide opportunities for early detection and care.

Acceptance of HIV testing among African-American college students at a historically black university in the south.

PURPOSE: Routine HIV testing on college campuses has the potential to increase students' awareness of their HIV status. Testing targeted only at persons reporting HIV risk behaviors will not identify infected persons who may deny or be unaware of their risk. Thus, this study sought to investigate the acceptability of rapid HIV testing among African-American college students in a nontraditional setting on a historically black college/university (HBCU) campus. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey on risk behaviors, barriers to testing, and HIV testing history was administered to 161 African-American college students at an HBCU. All approached students (both those participating and not) were offered free HIV rapid testing. RESULTS: Eighty-one African-American college students consented to be tested for HIV and all tested negative. Results of the questionnaire indicated that African-American college students engage in risky sexual behaviors (such as unprotected sex) yet perceive themselves as at little or no risk. College students who reported past HIV testing often did so in conjunction with routine exams, such as annual pap smears, rather than specifically seeking HIV testing. CONCLUSIONS: Routine HIV testing on college campuses may be an important public health initiative in reducing the spread of HIV. Specifically, this strategy may provide a model for student access to HIV testing, particularly males and other students who may be less likely to seek HIV testing at traditional medical settings. These data supports expansion of routine testing programs directed at African-American college students.

Predicting inpatient length of stay with the expanded version of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (version 4.0).

This study examined whether assessment data from administration of the extended version of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-E) to state hospital patients within 72 hours of their admission could be used to predict length of hospital stay. BPRS-E data for 222 first-admission patients, for whom the mean length of stay was 118.4+/-88.6 days, were factor analyzed, yielding a model with four factors: patient's resistance to treatment, positive symptoms, mood, and negative symptoms. Discriminant analysis showed that the negative symptoms factor (blunted affect, emotional withdrawal, motor retardation, self-neglect, and disorientation) correctly predicted whether length of stay would exceed the mean in 94 percent of cases. The findings suggest that the severity of negative symptoms can be a useful predictor of length of stay among patients with severe and persistent mental illness.