The relationships among acculturation, health protective sexual communication, and HIV/AIDS risk behaviors of Hispanic women are examined. Respondents represented 14 Latin American countries, a mean age of 29.5 years, and relatively low education and income levels. A significant correlation was found between higher non-Hispanic acculturation level and higher sexual communication with new partners. Higher non-Hispanic acculturation levels were also correlated with higher number of sexual partners in the prior 12 months. The higher the score for health protective sexual communication, the higher the reported frequency of condom use with new sexual partners in the past 12 months. Given the low number of sexual partners, HIV/AIDS risk for this group of women appears to be related to not knowing whether their partners had other sexual partners and to low frequency of condom use. Implications for health education are discussed.
Amaro, H. (1995). Love, sex and power: Considering women’s realities in HIV prevention. American Psychologist, 50, 437-447.
2.
Billy, J. O., Tanfer, K., Grady, W. R., & Klepinger, D. H. (1993). The sexual behavior of men in the United States. Family Planning Perspectives, 25, 52-60.
3.
Catania, J. (1998). Health Protective Sexual Communication Scale. In C. Davis, W. Yarber, & S. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures (pp. 544-547). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
4.
Catania, J. A. (1991). Condom use in multi-ethnic neighborhoods of San Francisco: The population-based AMEND (AIDS in multi-ethnic neighborhoods) study. American Journal of Public Health, 81, 284-287.
5.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1997). Strategies for preventing HIV in women. Atlanta, GA: Author.
6.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2001). HIV/AIDS surveillance report (13). Retrieved June 6, 2005, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats/hasrlink.htm
7.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2003). HIV/AIDS surveillance report (14). Retrieved June 6, 2005, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats/hasrlink.htm
8.
Deren, S., Shedlin, M., & Beardsley, M. (1996). HIV-related concerns and behaviors among Hispanic women. AIDS Education and Prevention, 8, 335-342.
9.
Doval, A. S., & Duran, R. (1995). Barriers to condom use in primary and non-primary relationships among Hispanic STD clinic patients. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 17, 385-398.
10.
Fisher, J. D., & Fisher, W. A. (1992). Changing AIDS-risk behavior. Psychological Bulletin, 111, 455-474.
11.
Flaskerud, J. H., & Nyamathi, A. M. (1997). Longitudinal effects of an HIV testing and counseling programme for low-income Latina women. Ethnicity and Health, 2, 89-104.
12.
Flaskerud, J. H., & Uman, G. (1996). Acculturation and its effects on self-esteem among immigrant Latina women. Behavioral Medicine, 22, 123-134.
13.
Gomez, C. A., & Marin, B. V. (1996). Gender, culture, and power: Barriers to HIV-prevention strategies for women. Journal of Sex Research, 33, 355-363.
14.
Greeley, A. (1995, December). Concern about AIDS in minority communities. FDA Consumer Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 1998, from http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/095_aids.html
15.
Horton, R. (1995). Women as women with HIV. Lancet, 345, 531-532.
16.
Indiana State Department of Health. (2001). Quarterly and cumulative HIV/AIDS and STD data. Retrieved May 14, 2000, from http://www.in.gov/isdh/programs/hivstd/quarterly/2001/dec2001/glance.html
17.
Lottes, I., & Kuriloff, P. (1994). Sexual socialization differences by gender, Greek membership, ethnicity, and religious background. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18, 203-219.
18.
Lottes, I., & Kuriloff, P. (1998). Sexual Socialization Instrument. In C. Davis, W. Yarber, & S. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures (pp. 494-496). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
19.
Marin, B. V., Gomez, C. A., & Hearst, N. (1993). Multiple heterosexual partners and condom use among Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites. Family Planning Perspectives, 25, 170-174.
20.
Marin, B. V., Tschann, J. M., Gomez, A. C., & Kegeles, S. M. (1993). Acculturation and gender differences in sexual attitudes and behaviors: Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic White unmarried adults. American Journal of Public Health, 83, 1759-1761.
21.
Marin, G. (1989). AIDS prevention among Hispanics: Needs, risk behaviors, and cultural values. Public Health Reports, 104, 411-415.
22.
Marin, G., & Gamba, R. J. (1996). A new measurement of acculturation for Hispanics: The Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS). Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 18, 297-307.
23.
Nyamathi, A., Bennet, C., Leake, B., Lewis, C., & Flaskerud, J. (1993). AIDS-related knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors among impoverished minority women. American Journal of Public Health, 83, 65-71.
24.
Perez, M. A., & Pinzon, H. L. (1997). Sexual communication patterns among Latino adolescent farm workers: A case study. American Journal of Health Studies, 13, 74-84.
25.
Pulerwitz, J., Amaro, H., DeJong, W., & Gortmaker, S. L. (2002). Relationship power, condom use and HIV risk among women in the USA. AIDS Care, 14, 789-800.
26.
Raffaelli, M., & Suarez-Al-Adam, M. (1998). Reconsidering the HIV/AIDS prevention needs of Latino women in the United States. In N. L. Roth & L. K. Fuller (Eds.), Women and AIDS: Negotiating safer practices, care and representation (pp. 7-40). New York: Harrington Park Press.
27.
Riehman, S. K., Sly, D. F., Soler, H., Eberstein, I. W., Quadagno, D., & Harrison, D. F. (1998). Dual-method use among an ethnically diverse group of women at risk of HIV infection. Family Planning Perspectives, 30, 212-217.
28.
Sabogal, F., Faigeles, B., & Catania, J. (1993). Multiple sex partners among Hispanics in high risk cities: The national AIDS behavioral surveys. Family Planning Perspectives, 25, 257-262.
29.
Sabogal, F., & Perez-Stable, E. J. (1995). Gender, ethnic, and acculturation differences in sexual behaviors: Hispanic and non-Hispanic White adults. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 17, 139-160.
30.
Torres, S. (1991). A comparison of wife abuse between two cultures: Perceptions, attitudes, nature, and extent. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 12, 113-131.
