Racial Differences in HIV/AIDS Discussion Strategies and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Drug-Abusing Female Criminal Offenders (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) (Report‪)‬

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or the virus that causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is a concern in correctional settings. In fact, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that HIV rates among inmates are higher among female prison inmates, with the highest proportion among African-American females (Maruschak 2007). There are several factors that could be associated with the higher rate of HIV infection among African-American females. Sociocultural factors in the African-American community, including unequal sex ratios and a lower likelihood of interracial dating among African-American women, may influence the degree of interpersonal power in sexual relationships among African-American women (Gilbert 2003). In addition, a proportionately larger number of African-American males (4.8%) are incarcerated, as compared to White (0.7%) or Hispanic (1.9%) males (Sabol, Minton & Harrison 2007). As such, women may be more likely to engage in HIV risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex, to attract and keep a sexual partner in order to fulfill financial and/or emotional needs. In order to better understand these factors, this study examines racial differences in the six interpersonal strategies associated with the discussion of HIV/AIDS, which include the rational, manipulative, withdrawal, charm, subtlety, and persistence strategies (Snell & Finney 1990). In addition, each of the six HIV/AIDS discussion strategies is examined as a correlate of the number of unprotected vaginal sex encounters separately among African-American and White females in the 30 days before their incarceration. RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN HIV RISK BEHAVIORS