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Early in the epidemic, HIV infection and AIDS were rarely diagnosed in women. Today, the HIV/AIDS epidemic represents a growing and persistent health threat to women, especially young women. The purpose of the current study was to conduct an international study with female undergraduate college students to assess knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS, current and future sexual behaviors, and condom use self-efficacy. Participants included several convenience samples of female undergraduate college students from three public universities in the southern region of the United States (n = 112), a large public university in Australia (n = 66), and a public university in Hong Kong (n = 93). This research study utilizes a quantitative survey research design. Seventy-seven percent of American women and 66% of Australian women were sexually active compared with only 21% of Chinese women (χ2 = 67.74, p < .001). Of the sexually active women, 86% of Australian women reported regular use of safer sex practices during the past year compared with 69% of American women and 20% of Chinese women (χ2 = 8.9, p < .05). Although the sample as a whole scored generally high on HIV/AIDS awareness, it is not reflected in safe sex practices or intentions for future safe sex practices. Future studies should focus on further understanding the social, cultural, and psychological factors that hamper safe sex practices among this population as well as successful intervention strategies to overcome these barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The threat of HIV/AIDS to African American's health has become the focus of much concern. This study investigated the potential differences between African Americans' and white college students' current and future sexual behaviors and safer sex behaviors with HIV/AIDS awareness, condom use self-efficacy, and safer sex attitudes. A convenience sample of 156 college students from three public universities was used. Of those who were sexually active, more African American than white respondents reported they used condoms frequently, and more African Americans indicated they would use condoms regularly in the future. No racial differences were found in intentions for future casual sex, condom use self-efficacy, or attitudes toward safer sex practices. Although the results suggest that for this sample African American college students appear to have internalized safer sex messages to a greater degree, both groups reported a lack of consistent safe-sex practices, which may put them at risk of HIV/AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address HIV infection among college students, a comprehensive measure is needed that can be used with samples from culturally diverse populations. Therefore, this paper assessed the reliability and validity of an HIV/AIDS questionnaire that measures fours dimensions of HIV/AIDS awareness-factual knowledge, prejudice, personal risk, and misconceptions about HIV transmission, and will enable cross-cultural research. The International AIDS Questionnaire-Chinese Version (IIQ-C) was developed and validated by Davis, Tang, Chan, and Noel (1999) for use with Chinese populations. In this study, the validity and reliability of the International AIDS Questionnaire-English Version (IQA-E) was assessed on a sample of English-speaking college students from the United States (N = 200) and Australia (N = 74). The results of the CFA supported the four-factor model, and the normative data show patterns similar to previous research. The total IAQ-E had a high internal consistency (Cronhach's alpha = 0.88). The Cronbach's alphas for the sub-scales were 0.87 (myths), 0.81 (attitudes), 0.66 (personal risk), and 0.40 (facts). A 2-week test-retest reliability study on a sub-sample of 32 students revealed a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient of 0.882 (p < 0.001). This instrument provides a valid and reliable comprehensive measure of HIV/AIDS for use with English-speaking samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides information on harm reduction, a recent development in substance abuse services in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The author outlines abstinence and harm reduction perspectives and the stages of change model and discusses how these perspectives can be integrated in social work practice. He proposes using harm reduction strategies for individuals for whom the abstinence perspective may not be appropriate. Together, the traditional abstinence and harm reduction perspectives provide a basis for a more comprehensive continuum of care for individuals experiencing problems related to their substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a pilot project that provided Internet-based outreach and HIV educational information to Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM). The project provided services via chat rooms designated for MSM who meet them anonymously for sexual encounters. Services were designed to support behavior changes as well as serving a gateway function for additional services at the host agency. The experiences of the project suggest that the target population may engage in high-risk sexual activity mote than what was initially assumed; and that Internet outreach provides a relevant means of conducting outreach to this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]