RESUMEN
To measure self-efficacy with respect to risk behaviors for HIV infection, a set of questionnaire items was developed regarding condom use, drug use with friends, and negotiations with potential sex partners. These items were tested with a sample of Latinos aged 14 to 22 years in two New England cities. A nine-item self-efficacy scale was found to have a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .77). Reliability coefficients were similar for men, women, and both English- and Spanish-speaking respondents. Strong associations with recent performance accomplishments, as specified in Bandura's social cognitive theory, support the construct validity of the scale.
Asunto(s)
Conducta del Adolescente/etnología , Actitud Frente a la Salud/etnología , Infecciones por VIH/prevención & control , Hispánicos o Latinos/psicología , Autoevaluación (Psicología) , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudios de Cohortes , Condones/estadística & datos numéricos , Análisis Factorial , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Infecciones por VIH/etnología , Conductas Relacionadas con la Salud/etnología , Humanos , Masculino , New England , Puerto Rico/etnología , Análisis de Regresión , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Muestreo , Factores Sexuales , Conducta Sexual/etnología , Conducta Sexual/psicología , Abuso de Sustancias por Vía Intravenosa/etnología , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Latino adolescents in two urban New England areas were surveyed to assess risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. METHODS: Probability of HIV infection during the previous 6 months was estimated from self-reported sexual contacts, condom usage rates, and number of partners. Teens were also asked to show condoms in their possession to the interviewer to validate self-reports of condom use. RESULTS: Overall, 8% of the 586 respondents were classified as high risk for HIV infection (estimated infection probability greater than .0001), 34% were at moderate risk, and the remaining 58% were classified as not at risk (no sexual activity or needle sharing). Teens who said they had purchased condoms or claimed to have used them recently were more likely than others to have condoms in their possession at the time of the interview. CONCLUSIONS: These estimates suggest that a small percentage of Latino adolescents may be at substantial risk for HIV infection over periods as short as 6 months, that self-reports of recent condom use are strongly related to condom possession, and that questionnaire items regarding condom use at last intercourse are poor surrogates for HIV risk.
Asunto(s)
Infecciones por VIH/transmisión , Salud Urbana , Adolescente , Conducta del Adolescente , Condones , Connecticut , Femenino , Infecciones por VIH/etnología , Hispánicos o Latinos , Humanos , Masculino , Massachusetts , Puerto Rico/etnología , Análisis de Regresión , Factores de Riesgo , Conducta SexualRESUMEN
Until recently, minority populations have been inadequately or inaccurately represented in health research. Researchers are now recognizing the need to improve the validity and reliability of data on the health status and health-related behaviors of minorities. This paper discusses important methodological issues in conducting health survey research in minority communities: construction of an appropriate sampling frame, response rates, attrition from panel studies, and response patterns. These themes are illustrated with data from three field studies at the New England Research Institute. Two of these studies focus on inner-city Puerto Rican youth, a group rapidly increasing in size. The extent and multiplicity of problems experienced by this group affect the complexity of survey protocols. The third study is a random-digit-dial telephone survey on health care utilization for coronary heart disease by black and white adults from three inner-city neighborhoods in Boston. The conclusions drawn from the Institute's experience are corroborated by other scientific studies. First, the sociocultural characteristics of the community or group selected for study must be considered in planning and implementing any survey research on minority populations. Second, ensuring the quality of field work with minority groups may be expensive because of high residential mobility and lack of preexisting sampling frames. Third, there is no reason to expect any diminution of data quality with minority groups, provided the resources for data collection are adequate. The quality of data is undoubtedly proportional to the field efforts expended, but the costs of high-quality survey work are often not appreciated. The paper questions the utility of the term "minority research," for it disregards the considerable variation between and within minority groups and subcultures.
Asunto(s)
Encuestas Epidemiológicas , Grupos Minoritarios , Investigación/normas , Negro o Afroamericano , Estudios Transversales , Características Culturales , Estudios de Seguimiento , Hispánicos o Latinos , Humanos , Entrevistas como Asunto , New England , Puerto Rico/etnología , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Proyectos de Investigación/normas , Muestreo , Población BlancaRESUMEN
This study examined cigarette smoking among Puerto Rican adolescents in the Boston area in its sociocultural context by describing who uses cigarettes, and by identifying factors that encourage or discourage cigarette use. The study, conducted from 1986-87, used two approaches. The first was to survey 605 Puerto Rican households with adolescents 11-20 years old. Households were identified from a random sample of census blocks in five neighborhoods. In each household, interviews were completed with one adolescent and his or her female caretaker. The second approach was to conduct ethnographic interviews with 40 adolescents selected through a purposive sample of survey respondents from three of the study neighborhoods. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to examine the relationships between smoking behavior and characteristics of the adolescents. The results of these analyses were examined in light of the ethnographic data. Overall, 13.7% reported smoking in the month preceding the interview. Smoking was most prevalent among males 17-20. Patterns of smoking were associated with teens' social networks. The Puerto Rican adolescents in this study were more likely to smoke when their friends and household members smoked, if they participated in recreational activities such as sports or unsupervised games, and if they were not in school. These effects varied according to the gender of the respondent.