An online investigation of the HIV/AIDS transmission prevention strategies of diverse sexually active young adults: What are adaptive coping strategies in the ongoing era of HIV/AIDS?

International Conference on HIV/AIDS, STDs, & STIs

October 24-25, 2013 Holiday Inn Orlando International Airport, Orlando, FL, USA

Elys Vasquez-Iscan

Accepted Abstracts: J AIDS Clin Res

Abstract :

T his study quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed the sexual behavior of a diverse online sample of young adults. The Condom Use and Sexual Behavioral Empowerment Scale (CUSBES-4, Cronbach?s Alpha .847) captured empowerment profiles. The CUSBES-4 is grounded in four theories (self-efficacy, stages of change, social support, and role models) and assesses four HIV risk reduction behaviors. The research diffused the innovation of an online survey associated with a website providing e-health, including an invitation to co-create website content with the researcher. The study sample (N = 201) of heterosexually active young adults (18-25 years) were mostly students (63.2%), White (40.8%), Asian (20.9%), Latino (18.4%), and Black (10.4%)-while using the internet to access health information (53.2%). Most had steady sexual partners (71.6%), yet reported main partner sexual concurrency (30.3%); other partner sexual concurrency (28.4%); and personal sexual concurrency (24.4%). Backward stepwise regression analysis found not having a main sex partner(B = -.504, SE = .162, p<.01), having more access to devices for the Internet (B = .150, SE = .162, p< .05), a higher score for Empowerment Self- Efficacy (B = .425, SE = .071, p< .001), a higher score for Empowerment Social Support (B = .360, SE = .130, p< .01), and a higher score for Empowerment Role Models (B = .221, SE = .084, p< .01) predicted being in a higher stage of change for engaging in the four HIV risk reduction behaviors; this model accounted for 32.6% of the dependent variable?s variance

Biography :

Elys Vasquez-Iscan has a master?s degree in public health from New York University and completed her doctorate degree in health education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is currently an assistant Professor at Hostos Community College, City University of New York in the Health Education Unit. Vasquez-Iscan has done extensive health research in the USA as well as abroad and is currently focused on research that analyzes systems that contribute to health disparities