Introduction: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults often experience cissexism, heterosexism, and other forms of discrimination, which, as a result, leaves LGB adults vulnerable to identity-related victimization such as sexual orientation microaggressions (SOMs). These derogatory, hostile, and homophobic insults can lead to adverse mental and physical health outcomes for this minoritized group. While research has established taxonomies related to SOMs and their impact on the mental health and identity development of LGB people, little research has addressed the systemic influence SOMs have on sexual health knowledge and risk-related sexual behavior.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBehav Sci (Basel)
June 2024
Theory-based HIV prevention programs have resulted in increased condom use, which remains the best method for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among sexually active heterosexual individuals. Particularly, the integrative model of behavior prediction theorizes that attitudes, norms, self-efficacy, and socioenvironmental factors influence intention and behavior and has been useful in understanding STI risk among adolescents. However, more research is needed regarding young African American adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Public Health
February 2024
Introduction: For African American women in Houston, cervical cancer mortality is disproportionate to their racial and ethnic counterparts. Most notably, lack of human papillomavirus (HPV) screening and vaccination as well as late diagnosis increase cervical cancer mortality. However, cervical cancer is largely preventable.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWithin Africa, maternal mortality remains a concern that can be prevented and addressed. Among the various African countries, Nigeria has one of the highest mortality rates, particularly in a context where the population continues to rise. The relationship between contraceptive usage among married Nigerian women and low socioeconomic development contributes to another concerning public health issue- performing unskilled abortions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe theory of gender and power provides a unique framework for understanding condom use by accounting for distinct challenges faced by minority women in particular. This study examined whether self-efficacy about condom use communication (SECC) and perceived partner's beliefs about condom (PPBC) use had an influence on condom use frequency; and whether these associations varied by gender. A sample of 252 African-American college students (101 males and 151 females) completed a confidential online survey assessing SECC, PPBC, and condom use behavior.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series completion among adolescent Hispanic males (35%) is lower than the Healthy People 2020 80% goal. This directed qualitative content analysis identified mothers' beliefs about their sons completing the series. We found that mothers (N = 19) (1) express positive feelings; (2) believe the vaccine has positive effects; (3) identify the father and doctors as supporters and friends as nonsupporters; (4) list health insurance, transportation, and clinic reminders as facilitators; and (5) mention affordability as a barrier to vaccine completion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Immigr Minor Health
December 2019
Rates of HPV vaccination among adolescent Hispanic males lag far behind the Healthy People 2020 80% goal. This study identified Hispanic mothers' salient beliefs regarding having their sons initiate the HPV vaccine series. Twenty-seven Hispanic mothers completed in-depth interviews.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHIV/STI risk varies by sexual positioning practices; however, limited data have characterized the behavioral profiles of men who have sex with men (MSM) in France. This study used latent class analysis (LCA) to explore sexual risk profiles among MSM in Paris, France. LCA was used to classify sexual positioning and serosorting profiles among MSM in Paris (n = 496).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite the widespread availability of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the US, rates of vaccination among Hispanic adolescents lag behind those of other recommended vaccines. Understanding what happens during the HPV vaccination visit should provide important insight into communication between health care providers and Hispanic mothers and identifies areas where communication can be improved. As such, this qualitative study explored Hispanic mothers' experiences during their adolescent child's HPV vaccination visit.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Health Promot
September 2018
Purpose: We examined differences in the association between alcohol use and sedentary behavior by gender among adults.
Design: Cross-sectional study that employs a complex, multistage stratified probability cluster sample design.
Setting: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007 to 2014.
Guided by the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction, we identify mothers' salient beliefs regarding their daughters' initiation of the human papillomavirus vaccine series. In all, 34 Hispanic mothers responded to elicitation questions. Salient beliefs included the following: (1) feeling secure, happy, relieved, concerned, and fear about vaccinating; (2) believing that vaccinating prevents and protects from human papillomavirus but may result in side effects and sexual disinhibition; (3) identifying the daughter, father, mother, aunt, friends, and grandmothers as supporters/non-supporters; and (4) affordability, transportation, clinic distance, and making appointments as facilitators/barriers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHPV vaccine series completion rates among adolescent Hispanic females and males (~39 and 21 %, respectively) are far below the Healthy People 80 % coverage goal. Completion of the 3-dose vaccine series is critical to reducing the incidence of HPV-associated cancers. This formative study applies social marketing theory to assess the needs and preferences of Hispanic mothers in order to guide the development of interventions to increase HPV vaccine completion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlcohol use and abuse are a problem on college campuses. Religious behaviors (religious attendance, prayer, and importance) have been shown to be a protective factor against alcohol use among college students. This study examined the role religious behaviors and positive and negative affect had on drinking (alcohol use and alcohol to intoxication).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Health Behav
January 2016
Objectives: Engaging in some exercise is associated with weight misperception (ie, overweight and obese participants self-reporting being normal weight or underweight) among adults. Less is known about associations between various types of activity with weight misperception. We examined associations between activity (moderate-vigorous leisure-time, work- and transportation-related physical activity, and sedentary activity) and weight misperception.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRisk reduction interventions that promote condom use, a vital component of most HIV prevention interventions, have been successful in increasing condom use among African American adolescents. Understanding theoretical components that lead to behavior change and selecting relevant risk reduction messages remain important considerations for targeting new interventions and tailoring existing interventions. The present study sought to (1) identify the most important theoretical determinants of condom use intention in African American adolescent males and females, separately, using the integrative model of behavior prediction, and (2) identify underlying beliefs within the determinants that were good candidates for message development in similar interventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second and third leading cause of cancer death for Hispanic men and women, respectively. CRC can be prevented if precursors are detected early and removed and can be successfully treated if discovered early. While one-on-one interventions for increasing CRC screening (CRCS) are recommended, few studies specifically assess the effectiveness of lay health worker (LHW) approaches using different educational materials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Prev Med
December 2012
Background: Research is needed to understand parental factors influencing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, particularly in groups with a higher burden of cervical cancer.
Purpose: To determine correlates of HPV vaccination among a sample of low-income parents of age-eligible daughters (aged 9-17 years) who called the 2-1-1 Helpline. Secondary analyses describe potential differences in HPV vaccination correlates by Hispanic and black parent groups, in particular.
Health Educ Behav
December 2012
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is being used increasingly to address health disparities and complex health issues. The authors propose that CBPR can benefit from a systems science framework to represent the complex and dynamic characteristics of a community and identify intervention points and potential "tipping points." Systems science refers to a field of study that posits a holistic framework that is focused on component parts of a system in the context of relationships with each other and with other systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study uses the Interactive Systems Framework (ISF) to understand how general capacity influences the implementation of prevention programs in afterschool settings. Eight afterschool sites received the Good Behavior Game (GBG) intervention, a program designed to foster supportive behavioral management and positive youth behavior. In line with the Prevention Support System component of ISF, the intervention afterschool staff were trained and received weekly on-site support from coaches in implementing the GBG.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Prev Interv Community
February 2012
Over the past few decades researchers have begun to examine the importance of understanding positive youth development and the many contexts in which youth find themselves. The social contexts in which adolescent development occurs are varied and complex, particularly the development among African American youth. African American youth are faced with a number of challenges including living in single-parent homes, high teen pregnancy rates, and poor neighborhoods, yet many of these youth continue to thrive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfrican American males experience poor academic performance, high absenteeism at school, and are at increased risk of being involved in violence than other racial groups. Given that the educational outlook for African American males appears bleak, it is important to assess the aspirations of these adolescent males in order to find the gap between aspirations and educational attainment. In order to promote positive development within this population, it is essential that factors that affect African American males be identified.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe authors investigated whether a causal-indicator model or an effect-indicator model of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is more suitable for predicting behavioral intention and for which behaviors. No previous studies have evaluated this question using the same sample and same behavior. In this study, African American adolescents ages 12-17 participating in risk reduction classes were assessed on their initial attitudes, norms, perceived control, and intention regarding condom use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfrican Americans continue to die disproportionately from chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Eating fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce those risks yet little is known about the health attitudes of African American adolescents and their eating habits and engagement in physical activity. A survey was administered to African American adolescents in a Midwestern city to determine the health attitudes and behaviors related to dietary intake and physical activity.
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