A Meta-Analysis of Blood Pressure Disparities Among Sexual Minority Men.

The aim was to review and summarize reports on three measures of elevated blood pressure (BP) among sexual minority men (encompassing men who have sex with men [MSM] and both men and women [MSMW]), using men who have sex with women (MSW) as the reference population. Crude prevalence rates were calculated, and a meta-analysis was conducted to summarize the likelihood of elevated BP history, antihypertensive medication use, and elevated BP above a cutoff value, as well as the mean differences (MDs) in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) measurements. We used random effects to generate estimates with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs); alpha was set at 0.

Developing Adaptando Dieta Y Acción Para Todos (ADAPT): An Intervention to Improve Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Among Latino Parents and Children Living in Rural Communities.

Latino migrant farmworkers are at great risk of obesity and its concomitant negative health impacts. Obesity interventions for this underserved, minority population are limited. We expanded upon our prior intervention work in childhood obesity to develop a multi-family, behavioral intervention, ADAPT.

Latino STYLE: Preliminary Findings From an HIV Prevention RCT Among Latino Youth.

Objective: Latino STYLE is a family-centered, HIV-focused intervention (HIV) emphasizing cultural factors and parent-adolescent communication. We hypothesized that, compared with a general health promotion (HP) intervention, the HIV arm would improve caregiver and adolescent HIV knowledge, attitudes, parental monitoring, sexual communication, and family relationships after a 3-month postintervention period. This article reports on the short-term findings of the longer trial.

Effects of a Decision-Making Intervention to Help Decide Whether to Disclose HIV-Positive Status to Family Members on Well-Being and Sexual Behavior.

An HIV diagnosis is often followed by uncertainty, questions over next steps, and concerns over how to share the diagnosis with others. The goal of the current study was to investigate the effects of an intervention designed to help people living with HIV decide whether or not they want to disclose their status to family members (i.e.

Social Determinants of Potential eHealth Engagement Among People Living with HIV Receiving Ryan White Case Management: Health Equity Implications from Project TECH.

Objectives: Evaluate the relationships between social characteristics of Floridian persons living with HIV (PLWH) and both use of digital technologies and willingness to use eHealth for HIV-related information.

Methods: Ryan White case managers (N = 155) from 55 agencies in 47 Florida counties administered a survey to PLWH (N = 1268) from June 2016-April 2017. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to identify correlates of technology use and willingness.

Ways of coping and perceived HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV: moderation by sex and sexual orientation.

Perceived HIV-related stigma continues to persist among people living with HIV and coping strategies are crucial to overall health. Coping may be associated with perceived HIV-related stigma. However, research examining differences by sex and sexual orientation is lacking.

The HIP LADIES: A Pilot Health Improvement Project for HIV Prevention in Black College Women.

A disproportionate number of new HIV infections in the United States occur in Black women. We pilot-tested feasibility and acceptability of a manualized HIV prevention intervention developed with and for Black college women. We used a prospective, randomized 2-group design, with 3 data collection times.

Decision Readiness to Disclose Human Immunodeficiency Virus-positive Status to Family Members.

Background: People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH) are faced with the often difficult decision of whether, when, and how to disclose their seropositive status. This study draws on the transtheoretical model of change to examine men and women's decision readiness to disclose their HIV-positive status to family members and to assess predictors (decisional balance and decision self-efficacy) of their decision readiness.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from 346 PLWH-191 males and 155 females.

Ways of coping and HIV disclosure among people living with HIV: mediation of decision self-efficacy and moderation by sex.

Individuals living with HIV/AIDS face several stressors and use varying strategies to cope. Disclosure (or nondisclosure) of HIV serostatus is an important consideration among individuals living with HIV. However, studies examining the association between coping and HIV disclosure are lacking, and more research examining potential mediators and moderators is needed.

Mediating Effects of Depressive Symptoms on Perceived Social Support and HIV Disclosure: Assessing Moderation by Sex.

People living with HIV may decide to disclose their HIV-positive status after considering the benefits and costs. Studies have shown associations between perceived social support, depressive symptoms and HIV disclosure among men and women; however, research assessing the mediating pathway among these variables and the associated disparities by sex are lacking. Therefore, the aims of this study were to determine the association between perceived social support from family and friends and HIV disclosure to sexual partners; assess the mediating effects of depressive symptoms; and examine the disparities by sex.

Exploring Black College Females' Perceptions Regarding HIV Prevention Message Content.

Media messages can facilitate the delivery of accurate information related to HIV and sexually transmitted infection. This study's purpose was to examine preexisting media campaigns from the iMPPACS study to assess age-, gender-, and culturally appropriate components identified by African American females who attend historically Black colleges/universities. In 3 separate focus group sessions, 31 Black female college students (M age = 20) viewed 4 vignettes and heard 3 audio-only clips, then ranked and commented on them based on perceived satisfaction with HIV prevention content and appropriateness of delivery.

Associations Between Psychiatric Impairment and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Teens in Mental Health Treatment.

Aims: To assess the associations of sexual risk behavior with psychiatric impairment and individual, peer, and partner attitudes among adolescents receiving mental health treatment.

Methods: Adolescents (N=893, 56% female, 67% African American) completed assessments of psychiatric impairment, rejection sensitivity, peer norms, HIV knowledge, perceived vulnerability, self-efficacy and condom use intentions. Two structural equation models were used to test the study hypotheses; one for sexually active youth and one for non-active youth.

Symptoms of PTSD in a sample of female victims of sexual violence in post-earthquake Haiti.

Background: Globally, sexual violence (SV) impacts 25-33% of women, is often perpetrated by intimate partners and occurs even post-disasters. The 2010 Haiti earthquake occasioned a SV epidemic in Cité Soleil, where over 50% of females are reportedly victims of SV via non-intimate partners/strangers (NPSV). Little is known about the psychological effects of SV perpetrated by NPSV; even less in known about the biopsychosocial consequences of NPSV on women in Haiti.

Language of sexual violence in Haiti: perceptions of victims, community-level workers, and health care providers.

Non-partner sexual violence (NPSV), an important risk factor for HIV, is of global public health significance and understudied. The 2010 earthquake interacted syndemically with structural factors to increase sexual violence and HIV risk for women in Cité Soleil, Haiti. We used an exploratory sequential qualitative design and Grounded Theory to investigate language/terminology for NPSV, victims and perpetrators, and health effects of NPSV on victims, in four focus groups: Health care providers (HCPs) (n=3; n=8), community advocates (n=8), and victims (n=8).

Project STYLE: a multisite RCT for HIV prevention among youths in mental health treatment.

Objective: The study examined the efficacy of family-based and adolescent-only HIV prevention programs in decreasing HIV risk and improving parental monitoring and sexual communication among youths in mental health treatment.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 721 adolescents (ages 13-18 years) and their caregivers from mental health settings in three U.S.

Safe Thinking and Affect Regulation (STAR): human immunodeficiency virus prevention in alternative/therapeutic schools.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Safe Thinking and Affect Regulation (STAR), a 14-session HIV-prevention program for adolescents at alternative/therapeutic schools. Because these youth frequently have difficulties with emotions and cognitions, it was designed to improve sexuality-specific affect management and cognitive monitoring, as well as HIV-related knowledge and attitudes. It was hypothesized that STAR would lead to a decrease in sexual risk and improved HIV knowledge and attitudes.

Monitoring challenges: a closer look at parental monitoring, maternal psychopathology, and adolescent sexual risk.

The present study sought to examine associations between maternal psychopathology, parental monitoring, and adolescent sexual activity among adolescents in mental health treatment. Seven hundred ninety mother-adolescent dyads recruited from adolescent mental health treatment settings completed audio computer-assisted structured interview assessments examining parent psychiatric symptoms, parental monitoring, and adolescent sexual risk behavior. Path analysis was used to examine the associations between variables of interest.

Psychiatric disorders and sexual risk among adolescents in mental health treatment.

Objective: To examine the relationship between psychiatric disorders and sexual behaviors among adolescents receiving mental health treatment. Adolescents in mental health treatment have been found to have higher rates of HIV risk behavior than their peers, but data concerning the relationship between psychopathology and risk are inconsistent and limited.

Method: Eight hundred and forty adolescents (56% female, 58% African American, mean age = 14.

Sexual abuse and sexual risk behavior: beyond the impact of psychiatric problems.

Objective: This study examined the association between sexual abuse (SA) and sex risk in girls and boys placed in alternative and therapeutic school settings while controlling for psychiatric problems.

Method: Adolescents were recruited from alternative and therapeutic schools. Youth completed audio computer-assisted self-interviews assessing childhood abuse, sexual behaviors, sexual attitudes, and psychiatric symptoms.

Cultural factors and family-based HIV prevention intervention for Latino youth.

Latino youth are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States and are at considerable risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), given that they have an earlier onset of sexual activity and use condoms less consistently than European American adolescents. Theorists and scholars have emphasized the importance of taking culture into account in sexuality interventions with Latino adolescents, yet few culturally tailored interventions have been developed for this population. Given the emphasis on familismo and collectivism among Latinos, family-based programs are likely to be well received and could contribute to long-term maintenance of adolescent safety.

Parent-adolescent sexual communication: associations of condom use with condom discussions.

This study investigated the relationship between parent-teen sexual communication, discussion of condoms, and condom use among adolescents in mental health treatment. Adolescents with a history of sexual intercourse and their parents completed questionnaires assessing adolescent sexual risk behavior, sexual communication, and discussion of sexual topics. Greater condom use by adolescents was associated with parent-adolescent condom discussion but was not associated with openness in sexual communication.

Condom use among high-risk adolescents: anticipation of partner disapproval and less pleasure associated with not using condoms.

Objective: We determined the association of demographic, psychosocial, and contextual factors with condom use among a large community sample of at-risk adolescents recruited from four locations in the U.S.

Methods: We enrolled 1,410 adolescents/young adults between the ages of 15 and 21 with a history of unprotected sex in the past 90 days at four study sites.