Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing
Source Publication
Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
January 1996
Abstract
People seeking HIV antibody testing at a community-based AIDS service organization (N = 342) were asked to complete a self- report questionnaire to determine knowledge of HIV transmission, source(s) of HIV-related knowledge, and recent risk behaviors. The overall knowledge level of risk for transmitting HIV associated with 16 related behaviors was relatively high. Yet, 69% of the participants reported engaging in unsafe sex during the previous six months. Poorly informed subjects tended to overestimate their level of knowledge. In a multiple regression analysis, knowledge, age, and gender were the only significant predictors of engaging in unsafe sex in this cohort. Nurses must be on the forefront in developing (1) strategies to reach people at high risk for HIV infection and H1V transmission, (2) culturally relevant and sensitive education, and (3) interventions that will enable people to make appropriate choices concerning high-risk behaviors.
Recommended Citation
Sowell, R. L., Seals, B., & Phillips, K. D. (1996). Knowledge of risk behaviors of persons seeking HIV antibody testing at a community site. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 7(3), 25-32.