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Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious global public health issue. At least one in three women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused during her lifetime. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than three women in the United States die every day from physical abuse suffered at the hands of an intimate partner. IPV is defined as violence that occurs within the private sphere, generally between individuals who are related through intimacy, blood, or law. When perpetrated against women, IPV is generally understood to include physical, sexual, and psychological abuse by intimate male partners. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

The objective of this study was to examine substance use and HIV risk behaviors among a community sample of Black and Coloured South Africans. Eligible participants aged 18 and above were recruited from one historically Black and one historically Coloured township in Cape Town. Blacks and Coloureds were about equally as likely to use at least one soft drug (e.g., cannabis). Coloureds were more likely to use at least one hard drug, with methamphetamines being most common. Alcohol before sex was the primary 'driver' of having unprotected sex and served as a mediator of other risk factors such as drug use before sex and problem drinking. Furthermore, hard drug users were much more likely to use soft drugs than vice versa. The independent and mediating role of soft drugs suggest that soft drug (vs. hard drug) use should not be overlooked at least in the context of HIV prevention.

This cross-sectional study examined HIV prevalence, sexual behaviors, sexual networks, and drug use among 591 participants from a rural community in Yunnan Province, China. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect information about sexual behavior, drug use, and sexual networks. Blood samples were collected and tested for HIV. Of the participants, 52.6% were male and 62.6% were Jingpo minority. The HIV prevalence was 5.5% overall and highest among the Jingpo minority (7.7%). Most participants were sexually experienced and 32.5% had had multiple sex partners. About 18.8% had used drugs, with the highest proportion among the Jingpo minority. HIV infection was independently correlated with drug use among males and with multiple sexual partnerships among females. A total of 336 independent sexual network components (mostly small, linear, and acyclic) were constructed. Eighty-percent were dyads involving two members and 20% involved three to 71 members. Coupled with the promotion of condom use, gender- and network-specific efforts are needed for HIV prevention targeting ethnic minorities in Yunnan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe lessons learned from a national HIV prevention research program grounded in community-based participatory research, the Men of Asia Testing for HIV (MATH) Study, which targeted self-identified Asian/Pacific Islander men in the United States who have sex with men. We discuss the genesis of and impetus for the study and then describe its various facets, including accomplishments, challenges, and unanticipated consequences. We conclude with a discussion about the real-world practice of community-based participatory research with respect to the MATH Study in particular and similar research in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine substance use and HIV risk behaviors among a community sample of Black and Coloured South Africans. Eligible participants aged 18 and above were recruited from one historically Black and one historically Coloured township in Cape Town. Blacks and Coloureds were about equally as likely to use at least one soft drug (e.g., cannabis). Coloureds were more likely to use at least one hard drug, with methamphetamines being most common. Alcohol before sex was the primary "driver" of having unprotected sex and served as a mediator of other risk factors such as drug use before sex and problem drinking. Furthermore, hard drug users were much more likely to use soft drugs than vice versa. The independent and mediating role of soft drugs suggest that soft drug (vs. hard drug) use should not be overlooked at least in the context of HIV prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use and misuse of alcohol and their relation to risky sex have received modest scholarly attention in China. This type of research in high HIV/STI groups such as men who have sex with men (general MSM) and men who sell sex to other men ("money boys") (MB) in China is essentially absent. Therefore, the primary purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the types of alcohol consumed and levels of daily alcohol consumption among Chinese general MSM and MB in Shanghai, China. A secondary purpose was to explore demographic, lifetime sexual behavior, and psychosocial correlates of daily consumption levels. The sample consisted of 404 MSM (200 MB) who live in Shanghai, China. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling and filled out a cross-sectional behavioral survey. Where appropriate, comparisons were made between MB and general MSM. Over 73% of participants reported drinking at least moderately every day. MB reported drinking Western red wine and other Western hard liquors (e.g., vodka) more frequently than general MSM. Conversely, general MSM consumed Chinese white wine more frequently than MB. Results from the regression analyses showed that MSM having higher lifetime sexual risks were more likely to drink in excess; though MB with greater social provisions were less likely to drink in excess. These results begin to highlight high levels of drinking and drinking-sexual risk relationships among groups of general MSM and MB and are useful for guiding intervention efforts among high-risk groups in China.