Friendship and encouragement of safe-sex practices among African-American college women

ABSTRACT

This study explored HIV prevention and prevalence knowledge, awareness and utilization of testing services, factors encouraging testing, perceptions of risk for HIV/AIDS, whether friends discuss and encourage safe-sex practices among African-American women (n = 176) at a historically black university. In this cross-sectional survey, participants attended a 90-minute HIV informational session before being administered a questionnaire. A majority of participants agreed their sexual behaviors increased their risk for HIV infection, and approximately one-fourth considered themselves at high risk. Participants reported that friends discuss and encourage safe-sex practices. Friendship may be a mobilizing component of HIV prevention among female African-American college students.

KEYWORDS:

• African-American women
• college students
• condom use
• HIV/AIDS prevention
• sexual risk behaviors