Factors contributing to inconsistent condom use among heterosexual men in Curaçao.

This study explored, from a public health perspective, factors that contribute to inconsistent condom use by men in Curaçao through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 21 heterosexual men. The findings show that there is an important disconnect between what is considered culturally appropriate sexual behaviour for men and women and condom use, that diverging from prescribed notions of masculinity and femininity in order to use condoms consistently is difficult, and that condom use is particularly problematic in the context of concurrent partnerships and sexual economic exchanges. Participants further reported that Caribbean family structures, whereby mothers assume the role as primary caregiver and fathers contribute biologically but, to a much lesser extent socially, also have an impact on condom use.

Negotiating safe sex among women of Afro-Surinamese and Dutch Antillean descent in the Netherlands.

Safe sex negotiation and communication about sexual risks with partners is important for women to ensure sexual risk reduction. This paper describes the results of a survey on safer sex and negotiation behavior, and the correlates of negotiation with partners among 128 women from Surinamese and Dutch Antillean descent in the Netherlands. The key findings are that 50% of the participants had negotiated sexual risk reduction with their partner, yet only 40% of the women who negotiated safer sex actually claimed practicing safe sex.

Uma Tori! Evaluation of an STI/HIV-prevention intervention for Afro-Caribbean women in the Netherlands.

Objective: This study describes the effectiveness of 'Uma Tori', an STI/HIV-prevention intervention for women of Afro-Surinamese and Dutch Antillean descent in the Netherlands, aimed at increasing awareness of sexual risk and power in relationships and improving sexual decision-making skills.

Methods: Intervention effects were evaluated in a pre-post-test design, using self-report questionnaires among a sample of 273 women. Data were analysed using intention-to-treat, MANOVA with repeated measures and Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.

Being and feeling like a woman: respectability, responsibility, desirability and safe sex among women of Afro-Surinamese and Dutch Antillean descent in the Netherlands.

The objective of this study was to describe and understand gender roles and the relational context of sexual decision-making and safe sex negotiation among Afro-Surinamese and Dutch Antillean women in the Netherlands. Twenty-eight individual in-depth interviews and eight focus group discussions were conducted. In negotiating safe sex with a partner, women reported encountering ambiguity between being respectable and being responsible.

Concurrent validity of a weight-bearing activity questionnaire in prepubertal and pubertal girls and boys.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current validity of an interviewer-administered physical activity questionnaire against measurement of physical activity from vertical body accelerometer movements in prepubertal and pubertal children.

Methods: The Weight Bearing Activity Questionnaire for Kids (WBAQK) is an interviewer-administered questionnaire with a recall over 7 days and developed to assess weight-bearing activity in pre-pubertal and pubertal children. The Caltrac(TM) accelerometer was worn for 4-5 days (including 1 weekend day).

Volume changes in gray matter in patients with schizophrenia.

Objective: Schizophrenia is generally characterized by a progressive decline in functioning. Although structural brain abnormalities, particularly decrements in gray matter volume, are considered important to the pathology of schizophrenia, it is not resolved whether the brain abnormalities become more prominent over time.

Method: Magnetic resonance brain images from 159 patients with schizophrenia and 158 healthy comparison subjects between 16 and 70 years of age were compared.