Age and HIV Risk and Protective Behaviors Among African American Women

Abstract

Though HIV prevention efforts have focused on young adult women, women of all ages may engage in HIV risk behaviors and experience barriers to condom use. This article examines the effect of age on sexual risk and protective attitudes and behaviors among African American women. Unmarried heterosexual African American women between the ages of 18 and 61 completed pen-and-paper survey measures. Participants were recruited from three local colleges and universities and several community-based agencies including health clinics, faith-based institutions, social service agencies, and other community-based organizations in a southeastern metropolitan area. Results indicated that as age of participants increased, participants reported less frequent condom use, reported lower condom use intentions, and perceived their partner's attitudes toward condoms to be less favorable, even after controlling for the effects of relationship length, education, and partner status. As age increased, participants reported higher condom negotiation efficacy. Findings suggest that older, sexually active heterosexual women may be at higher risk than younger women for sexually transmitted infections associated with lack of condom use.