Correlates of HIV risk appraisal in women

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of safer sex behavior practices, knowledge of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), social norms, and familiarity with persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with HIV risk appraisal in women. Risk appraisal was measured by perceived susceptibility and seriousness of AIDS. The AIDS Risk Reduction Model was used to construct a salient framework for this descriptive, correlational survey in which 208 urban women of mixed ethnicity residing in areas with high rates of sexually transmitted diseases/AIDS participated. Behavior, knowledge, and social norms contributed significant amounts of variance to perceived susceptibility but none of the independent variables contributed significant amounts of variance in perceived seriousness. Overall findings indicate that risk behaviors are commonly reported, AIDS knowledge is incomplete, and denial of risk is pronounced.