HIV RISK APPRAISAL IN SINGLE URBAN WOMEN

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Women who are poor, single, and live in urban areas are among those at increased risk for HIV. Identifying factors that move women with risky behaviors from denial of risk, or lack of interest in behavioral change, to where they identify their risk for HIV and contemplate changing risky behavior is of critical importance in the fight against AIDS. The purpose of this study is to identify the cognitive antecedents to HIV risk appraisal in women and their relationship to behavioral intentions to reduce risk. Using a split-sample technique, the specific aims are to: (l) use the MDS Risk Reduction Model and the transtheoretical Model to identify (i.e., to develop) an integrated cognitive model to describe HIV risk appraisal and behavioral intentions in a sample of sexually active, single, urban women of mixed ethnicity; and (2) to replicate (i.e., to cross validate) the model. These procedures will determine to what extent the proposed cognitive model components explain HIV risk appraisal and the initial stages of behavior change. Participants will be recruited from two inner-city health care centers and will be asked to complete written anonymous questionnaires. Measures of the women's knowledge of AIDS, social norms, familiarity with HIV infected persons, HIV risk appraisal, and stage of behavioral change will be obtained. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling, thus allowing the entire system of relationships to be evaluated simultaneously. This study will provide information on factors influencing the initial processes of behavior change, that is, HIV risk appraisal and intention to change AIDS risk behavior. Future intervention studies of AIDS behavior change strategies can then be targeted or matched to a person's readiness to act and facilitate women's progression through the initial stages of behavior change.