Sexual Practices and Intentions Among Preadolescent and Early Adolescent Low-Income Urban African-Americans

Objective. To assess the sexual practices and the social and intrapersonal influences on sexual practices and intentions which have an impact on the risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among pre- and early adolescent, low-income African-American youths. Design. Cross-sectional cohort study conducted in nine recreation centers serving three public housing developments in an eastern city. Participants. Three hundred fifty-one African-American youths 9 to 15 years of age. Outcome measures. Past and intended sexual intercourse, and past and intended condom use determined by a risk assessment instrument delivered aurally and visually via a "talking" MacIntosh computer. Results. The median age was 11 years; 35% of youths had had sexual intercourse and 20% of virgins thought it likely that they would become sexually active in the next six months. Age and male gender were correlated with sexual activity. Of sexually active youths 62% had used a condom during their last episode of coitus and 60% expected to do so at the next episode. Among sexually active youths, 24% of boys and 35% of girls had had anal intercourse. Rates of foreplay (nonpenetrative sex) were low even among sexually active youths. The median number of sexual partners in the past six months was two. Social influences from parents, peers, and partners in an intimate relationship were important for all four sexual outcomes both by univariate analysis and after logistic regression. Implications. A high percentage of the low-income, urban African-American pre- and early adolescents in this study are engaging or intending to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome reduction interventions for early adolescents should incorporate the importance of social influences from multiple sources.

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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and Adolescents: Knowledge, Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.79.5.825 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 79 (5) ◽

pp. 825-828

Author(s):

Lee Strunin ◽

Ralph Hingson

Keyword(s):

Sexual Behavior ◽

Sexual Intercourse ◽

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ◽

Drug Users ◽

Psychoactive Drug ◽

Sample Survey ◽

Sexually Active ◽

Care Providers ◽

Acquired Immunodeficiency ◽

Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Adolescents are a group at high risk for exposure to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Results of a random-sample survey of 860 adolescents 16 to 19 years of age, in Massachusetts indicate that many adolescents are still misinformed or confused about AIDS and AIDS transmission. Of the adolescent respondents, 70% said they were sexually active (having sexual intercourse or other sexual contact) but only 15% of them reported changing their sexual behavior because of concern about contracting AIDS, and only 20% of those who changed their behavior used effective methods. Of both sexually active and nonactive adolescents, 8% did not know that AIDS is transmitted by heterosexual sexual intercourse. Psychoactive drugs other than alcohol and marijuana had been used by 13% of those responding, and 1% reported injecting drugs. Of those psychoactive drug users, 8% did not know that AIDS can be transmitted by injecting drugs. There was no significant difference in knowledge between the sexually active and nonactive adolescents concerning sexual behavior and AIDS transmission or between the drug users and nonusers concerning drug use and AIDS transmission. The majority of respondents knew a relationship exists between AIDS and blood, and other body fluids, but knowledge of the mode of transmission was limited. Hence, many adolescents, including those in the highest risk subgroups of sexually active or psychoactive drug users, did not know what sexual and drug precautions are needed to prevent transmission of the virus. School systems and health care providers should systematically educate this population about AIDS to counter the current misinformation and confusion. Additional surveys of adolescents can help monitor whether misunderstandings can be reduced and knowledge of the means necessary to avoid transmission increased.

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Impact of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Epidemic on the Practice of Laryngology

Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology ◽

10.1177/00034894931020s801 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 102 (8_suppl) ◽

pp. 3-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Frank E. Lucente

Keyword(s):

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ◽

Social Issues ◽

Sexual Practices ◽

Major Influence ◽

Practice Of Medicine ◽

Physical Examinations ◽

Acquired Immunodeficiency ◽

Immunodeficiency Syndrome ◽

Diverse Groups ◽

The Impact

In only 10 years, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic has already had an enormous impact on many aspects of the practice of medicine. The practice of laryngology typifies the changes that have occurred. Heightened clinical vigilance has been required as the laryngologist encounters new and unusual manifestations of the disease and must take more extensive histories regarding social, behavioral, and sexual practices than were previously necessary. The performance of physical examinations and surgical procedures has also changed as a result of experience with the lethal human immunodeficiency virus. Numerous legal, ethical, and social issues have also been raised by the epidemic and have had a major influence on how medicine is practiced and regulated. In this paper we review the laryngeal and pharyngeal manifestations of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and discuss illustrative patient examples that demonstrate the impact of the disease. We also consider the diverse groups of issues that attend this epidemic and that continue to modify practice patterns.

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Eosinophilic Neuritis and Eosinophilic Panniculitis in a Patient With Advanced Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine ◽

10.5858/2006-130-1046-enaepi ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 130 (7) ◽

pp. 1046-1048

Author(s):

Anthony C. Soldano ◽

Ruth Walters ◽

Pamela A. Groben

Keyword(s):

Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

African American ◽

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ◽

Peripheral Eosinophilia ◽

Blood Eosinophilia ◽

Papular Eruption ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Acquired Immunodeficiency ◽

Immunodeficiency Syndrome ◽

Peripheral Blood Eosinophilia

Abstract The pruritic, papular eruption of human immunodeficiency virus with associated peripheral eosinophilia is well documented. We describe a 32-year-old African American man with advanced acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; a generalized painful, pruritic, papular rash; peripheral blood eosinophilia; and perineural eosinophilic infiltrates with eosinophilic panniculitis. To our knowledge, the latter 2 features have not been previously described in the literature on human immunodeficiency virus dermatoses. We propose that eosinophilic neuritis and eosinophilic panniculitis may represent additional findings in the spectrum of cutaneous disease seen in patients with advanced acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Transmission: Changes in Knowledge and Behaviors Among Teenagers, Massachusetts Statewide Surveys, 1986 to 1988

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.85.1.24 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 85 (1) ◽

pp. 24-29

Author(s):

Ralph Hingson ◽

Lee Strunin ◽

Beth Berlin

Keyword(s):

Condom Use ◽

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ◽

Drug Users ◽

Unprotected Sex ◽

Intravenous Drug ◽

Sexually Active ◽

The Past ◽

Substantial Progress ◽

Acquired Immunodeficiency ◽

Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Despite substantial progress, adolescents remain at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Two independent random digit dial statewide Massachusetts surveys of 16- to 19-year-old persons conducted August through September 1986 and 1988 revealed that the proportion of teenagers who had discussed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in schools increased from 52% to 82%. Knowledge about how AIDS is transmitted was also significantly higher in 1988. The proportion of teenagers using drugs other than alcohol and marijuana declined from 13% to 9%, and intravenous drug use declined from 1% to 0.1%. At the same time, among sexually active teenagers, the proportion who reported changes in sexual behavior to avoid AIDS increased from 16% to 34%. The proportion who adopted condom use to avoid AIDS increased from 2% to 19%. However, the overall proportion of teenagers who reported sexual intercourse in the past year increased significantly from 55% to 61%. In 1988, among sexually active teenagers, 37% never used condoms and 33% used them only some of the time. Of all respondents, 18% reported unprotected sex with more than one partner in the previous year, and 3% reported unprotected sex with intravenous drug users. Although mass media and school education may increase knowledge and stimulate some teenagers to change behavior, for others more personal forms of counseling may be needed. The effects of increasing physician counseling warrant special study. Teenagers who had spoken to physicians about AIDS were much more likely to have adopted condom use to avoid HIV exposure. However, although 80% of adolscents saw a physician in the past year, only 13% were counseled about AIDS.

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