A study into the relevance of cultural factors in predicting condom-use intentions among Antillean migrants in the Netherlands is described in this article. The association between the intention to use condoms with a new sexual partner and a perceived taboo on discussing sex, beliefs about sex education and machismo beliefs on gender and power…

Young adults are at risk for Hepatitis B infection. Little is known about their attitudes and beliefs concerning Hepatitis B, which are determinants of getting immunized. This investigation examined risk perceptions and behavioral intentions concerning Hepatitis B among a convenience sample of 1070 young adults, 18-24 years old who participated in…

This paper reviews the recent literature on cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence, CVD-related mortality, physiological CVD risk factors, and behavioral CVD risk factors in adults with mental retardation (MR). The literature on the potential influences of modifiable behavioral CVD risk factors and the physiological CVD risk factors are also…

Historically, religion and spirituality have been major influences in the social, cultural, and political lives of African Americans. Spirituality is deeply embedded into their rich cultural heritage, and it is intertwined into all aspects of their life, including beliefs about health and illness. For African Americans, health and illness are a…

In China, men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk for HIV. However, little is known about their HIV testing behavior. From September 2001 to January 2002, we recruited 482 men through social networks and MSM venues. We conducted HIV testing and counseling, and anonymous, standardized face-to-face interviews. Eighty-two percent of…

We proposed to integrate cognitive and social factors in the study of unprotected commercial sex. Data from 159 female entertainment workers from 15 establishments in Shanghai who reported commercial sex in the month prior to interview were used to test the approach. Two-sample t tests and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to examine…

In this article, we describe the Set the P.A.C.E.! (Parents And Children Empowered) curriculum designed for mothers of children 6-12 years of age. The development of the curriculum was part of a research study to test an intervention to enhance the mother's role in promoting resilience among 6- to 12-year-old children and to reduce the risk of…

Most of what we know about sexual abuse comes from efforts to examine female children victimized by men. Although some researchers have identified similarities between male and female victims of sexual abuse, few studies have examined gender-specific factors associated with sexual health practices among homeless adolescents. The aim of this study…

This document reports on a study that assessed levels of knowledge, types of attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs (KAPB) of the general South African public regarding Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Interviews were conducted with 5,360 participants; survey data are summarized in 49…

This report examines the behaviors and attitudes of Alabama adolescents and provides insights into changes and trends in the selected areas. Relatively few meaningful changes on risky behaviors were found. Risky health behaviors remained a serious, immediate, and future threat to the well-being of Alabama's teens. Changes were extremely modest in…

Problems of access to health care facing Appalachia mountain communities are confounded by unemployment, poverty, low education, and local religious beliefs that barrier people from receiving medical care. This proceedings addresses the issues related to health access and health needs. It contains 20 papers and 12 synopses of presentation. The…

This study sought to determine the effects of a high blood pressure education program for sixth graders on the preventive hypertension health attitudes and behaviors of their parents. Attention was focused on the role of students ("significant others") in affecting parental attitude and behavior changes relating to the three risk factors of…

The present study follows up a report by the same author of gender differences in health status of white and nonwhite adolescents. Both studies reported upon secondary analysis of data on a national sample of adolescent subjects from the Health Examination Survey conducted between 1967 and 1970 by the National Center for Health Statistics.…

This document describes a January 2002 roundtable held with the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention and community college representatives. The nation's 1,166 public and private community colleges enroll approximately 10.4 million students, or 44% of all U.S. undergraduates. The aim of the…

Smoking among college students is on the rise, particularly among women and minorities. This paper explores smoking among college women, reviews different types of smoking cessation interventions, and describes a newly developed interactive Web site that combines tailored smoking cessation information with other health information in an attempt to…