HIV risk behavior and psychological correlates among Native American women: An exploratory investigation

Native American women are at increased risk for HIV infection, but few stud ies have studied this threat. To address this gap in the literature, we ass essed HIV risk behavior and explored the hypothesized psychological anteced ents of risk behavior in 53 Native American women. Survey results indicated that women's HIV-related knowledge was incomplete and many women still hel d misconceptions about HIV. One third of the sample reported having two to five sexual partners in the past 5 years, and 30% of the women reported alc ohol use prior to sexual intercourse. Women who were classified at higher r isk, that is, who did not use condoms consistently, felt less vulnerable to HIV and were less ready to change their risky sexual behaviors compared wi th their lower-risk counterparts. These findings indicate that Native Ameri can women are at risk for HIV infection and can no longer be neglected by t hose seeking to prevent HIV infections. Culturally congruent and gender-spe cific interventions that provide information and behavioral skills to Nativ e American women as well as increase their motivation to adopt safer sexual behaviors are needed.