1. Normative Beliefs and Sexual Risk in China
- Author
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Li, Li, Ding, Ying Ying, Wu, Zunyou, Rotheram-Borus, Mary Jane, Guo, Sam, and The NIMH Collaborative HIV/STD Prevention Trial Group
- Subjects
Public Health ,Health Sciences ,Infectious Diseases ,Sexually Transmitted Infections ,Behavioral and Social Science ,Pediatric ,Adolescent Sexual Activity ,Clinical Research ,HIV/AIDS ,Prevention ,Infection ,Good Health and Well Being ,Adult ,China ,Culture ,Female ,Gender Identity ,Humans ,Male ,Middle Aged ,Risk Factors ,Risk-Taking ,Sexual Behavior ,Sexual Partners ,Sexually Transmitted Diseases ,Social Class ,Socioeconomic Factors ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Young Adult ,Normative beliefs ,Sexually transmitted infection ,Gender roles ,NIMH Collaborative HIV/STD Prevention Trial Group ,Public Health and Health Services ,Social Work ,Public health - Abstract
We examined normative beliefs about multiple sexual partners and social status in China and their association with risky sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Self-reported and biological markers of sexual risk were examined among 3,716 market vendors from a city in eastern China. Men who were older or with less education believed having multiple sexual partners was linked to higher social status. Adjusting for demographic characteristics, normative beliefs were significantly associated with having multiple sexual partners, while having multiple sexual partners was significantly associated with STIs. Normative beliefs regarding sexual behaviors may play an important role in individual risk behaviors. Future HIV/STI interventions must address community beliefs about the positive meaning of sexual risks, particularly among men with traditional beliefs about gender roles.
- Published
- 2011