HIV Risk Behaviors among African American Women with at-Risk Male Partners.

Background: HIV continues to impact African American women at alarming rates. Yet, few researchers have examined the relationship factors promoting unprotected sex within African American communities, especially instances in which women are aware that their male partners are engaging in high risk behaviors. This qualitative study explored the sexual behaviors, relationship characteristics, and HIV prevention strategies utilized by African American women in relationships with African American men at-risk for HIV.

Pathways to aggression and violence among African American adolescent males: the influence of normative beliefs, neighborhood, and depressive symptomatology.

Youth violence continues to present a serious public health challenge in the United States, particularly so for African American adolescent males. The present study utilized a multilevel approach to predict aggression within a community sample of low-income, urban African American adolescent males (n = 80). Participants' self-report data on normative beliefs about aggression, exposure to community violence, and depressive symptoms were used in multiple regression equations to predict (a) self-reported interpersonal aggression and (b) self-reported aggressive response style when angered.

Depressive symptoms, gender, and sexual risk behavior among African-American adolescents: implications for prevention and intervention.

African-American youths are disproportionately affected by deleterious outcomes associated with risky sexual activity. Arguably, females are at greater risk for these adverse outcomes due to physiological and emotional risk factors, such as depression. The current study examines the relationship between depressive symptomology and sexual risk behavior within a sample of 1,970 inner-city, economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents in grades nine and eleven.

Lessons learned in developing a research partnership with the Transgender community.

The challenge facing the authors was to develop a relationship with members of the Transgender community in a large urban city in order to develop research that would benefit this group. The situation is presented from the differing perspectives of the three women involved (one Transgender woman and two biological women); they provide their accounts of a meeting with key members of the Transgender community where the challenge became apparent. During the meeting, the issue of representation arose resulting in a discussion of whether the research agenda should be focused on a specific subgroup under the Transgender umbrella or be open to all members of this diverse and underserved group.

Seeking community input to improve implementation of a lifestyle modification program.

Objectives: Obesity increases a person's risk for diabetes, which is becoming the most common chronic disease in the United States. Latina and African-American women in disadvantaged communities are at higher risk for becoming overweight and subsequently developing diabetes. The purpose of this focus-group study was to guide our adaptation of an evidence-based lifestyle intervention and implementation of the Community-Based Lifestyle Balance program (CLSB).

Ethnicity, serostatus, and psychosocial differences in sexual risk behavior among HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women.

Childhood sexual abuse and related life traumas, and other psychosocial variables were investigated as contributors to ethnic differences in sexual risk behaviors among women who differed in HIV-serostatus. A multiethnic sample of 457 HIV-positive and HIV-negative women residing in Los Angeles county was recruited and studied over 2 years as part of the UCLA-Charles R. Drew University Women and Family Project (WFP) study.

Psychological distress for African-American adolescent males: exposure to community violence and social support as factors.

This study examined exposure to community violence and depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms within a non-random sample of low-income, African-American male adolescents. The moderating effect of social support on these relationships was also examined. Seventy-seven African-American adolescent males were recruited from an inner-city, Midwestern high school and surveyed on exposure to violence, depression, post-traumatic stress, and social support.