Sexual behaviors and risk of HIV infection among African American female college students, 1997

The study herein examined the selected risk behaviors and dating issues of 328 African American female college students, attending six undergraduate colleges and/or universities in a major urban metropolitan city. The focus of the study sought to compare risk behaviors (i.e., condom use and number of sex partners) and dating issues (i.e., dominant sex partner and older partner) among students attending Historically Black Colleges /Universities [(HBCUs) (n = 237 )] with those attending predominately white institutions [(non-HBCUs) (n = 91)]. Overall, the findings support the hypothesis of no significant differences in risk behaviors or dating issues among the two groups; therefore, prevention strategies need not differ for students attending HBCUs and those attending non-HBCUs. The study did not determine whether issues related to dating were a factor in pre-determining risk behaviors. Further research should be conducted to explore whether such issues as dominant sexual partner or older partner have any effect on sexual practices. The investigators findings support the widely held view that college students continue to place themselves at risk for HIV infection by participating in unsafe sex practices, hence, intervention programs, post-secondary administrators, health professionals and others must continue to target this population. This study utilized data received from the AIDS Risk Reduction Practice Among College Students, a survey developed by Colleen Dilorio and staff at Emory University, whose funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health through grant number 1 R01NR03124-01 Al