HIV/STI Risk Factors Among African-American Students Attending Predominantly White Universities

Authors

Marya L. Shegog, Hampton UniversityFollow
Lisa Lindley, University of South CarolinaFollow
Melva Thompson-Robinson, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
David Simmons, University of South Carolina
Donna Richter, University of South Carolina

Keywords

African American college students; HIV infections; HIV infections – Risk factors; HIV risk factors; Sexually transmitted diseases – Risk factors; Sexually transmitted infections

Disciplines

Community-Based Research | Gender and Sexuality | Immune System Diseases | Medicine and Health | Place and Environment | Public Health | Race and Ethnicity | Virus Diseases

Abstract

Introduction: The majority of African American college students in the U.S. attend predominantly white institutions (PWIs). However, there is minimal research examining this population’s HIV/STI risk behaviors. The purpose of this investigation was to assess HIV/STI behavioral risk factors among African American college students (aged 18 – 24years) attending PWIs. (n = 2,568)

Methods: Backwards step-wise logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with a positive HIV/STI diagnosis (past year) among sexually active African American college students who participated in the Spring, 2006 National College Health Assessment.

Findings: Nine factors were significantly associated with an HIV/STI diagnosis among African American college students attending PWIs. Different risk factors were associated with having a HIV/STI diagnosis among African American male and female college students. These results may be useful to HIV/STIs prevention programs targeting African American college students attending PWIs.

Recommended Citation

Shegog, Marya L.; Lindley, Lisa; Thompson-Robinson, Melva; Simmons, David; and Richter, Donna (2010) "HIV/STI Risk Factors Among African-American Students Attending Predominantly White Universities," Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 8.
Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp/vol4/iss1/8