Perceptions of HIV/AIDS-STD Risk Among First-Year African-American College Students: The Decomposition of Self-Esteem to Promote a Positive Behavioral Change in Risk-Reduction Practices

Abstract

A sample of 512 first-year students attending a Historically Black College in North Carolina was used to identify correlates of the perceptions of HIV/AIDS–STD risk, and of condom usage. In a logistic regression analysis, the author found that attendance at a prior HIV/AIDS program (.69, p = .04), condom knowledge (.15, p = .05), having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) (1.50. p = .001), and the self-esteem element “I feel I do not have much to be proud of” (.72, p = .03) were all positively related to this risk. Conversely, a higher score on the condom usage scale (–.52, p = .01), HIV/AIDS knowledge (–.28, p = .03), and tested for the HIV virus (–.59, p = 04) were all negatively related to this risk. Surprisingly, those students who were of the conviction that they were at-risk of HIV/AIDS–STD infection were reluctant to always use condoms. The self-esteem element “I feel I do not have much to be proud of” was found to be the only impediment in this group of freshmen's decision making to not consistently engage in this risk-reduction practice. Implications for school social work practice and both mental health and HIV/AIDS–STD prevention are discussed.

Keywords:

• condoms
• HIV/AIDS
• risk-reduction
• school
• school social workers
• self-esteem
• STD