ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study examined the relationship between community violence and HIV sexual risk behaviors among African American adolescent males.
Methods: A sample of 120 male high-school students completed a survey, which included questions on demographics, community violence, social network, self-efficacy and HIV risk assessment.
Results: Of the total sample, more than half (55.8%, n = 67) experienced being robbed or mugged and almost a quarter (22.5%, n = 27) indicated they were forced by another person to have sexual contact before age 13. Two thirds (65.8%, n = 79) engaged in one or more HIV risk behaviors in the last 12 months (i.e., sex without condoms, sex after drug use, sex with concurrent partners and tested positive for STDs). Multivariate analyses confirmed that males who were victims of community violence were more likely than their counterparts to engage in HIV sexual risk behaviors. These findings have critical implications for HIV prevention among African American adolescent males.
