Associations between religious involvement and behavioral risk factors for HIV/AIDS in American women and men in a national health survey

Abstract

Background: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is a leading cause of death. Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that religious variables would be inversely associated with prevalence of HIV/AIDS risk factors. Methods: A 2002 national survey included 9,837 individuals aged 15-44 years with complete data on religious involvement, sexual, and drug use behaviors. Results: Women who never attended services had over two times greater odds of reporting HIV risk factors than those attending weekly or more after adjusting for age and race/ethnicity (p<0.0001) and over 60% greater after adjusting for multiple confounders, but no significant association was seen in men. Mainline Protestants had lower odds of reporting risk factors than those with no affiliation. No significant independent associations were found with importance of religion. Conclusions: Women with public religious involvement had lower prevalence of any HIV risk factors while only affiliation was so associated in men. © 2010 The Society of Behavioral Medicine.