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ABSTRACT: Factors associated with gay male couples' concordance on aspects of sexual agreements remain understudied. The present study examined which relationship factors, self-reports of UAI, and patterns of HIV testing may be associated with men who were concordant about having a sexual agreement, the same type of sexual agreement, and adhering to their sexual agreement with their main partner. Various recruitment strategies were used to collect dyadic data from 142 gay male couples. Concordance on aspects of sexual agreements varied within the sample. Results indicated that relationship satisfaction was significantly associated with couples who were concordant about having and adhering to their sexual agreement. Predictability and faith of trusting a partner, and value in one's sexual agreement were also positively associated with couples' adhering to their sexual agreement. More research is needed to better understand how relationship dynamics, including sexual agreements, affect HIV risk among gay male couples in the U.S.
AIDS and Behavior 10/2011; 16(6):1560-9. · 3.49 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Institutional policies, practices, and norms can impede the delivery of ethical standard-of-care treatment for people with HIV in correctional settings. In this commentary, we focus on the fundamental issues that must be addressed to create an ethical environment in which best medical practices can be implemented when working with correctional populations. Thus, we consider ethical issues related to access to services, patient privacy, confidentiality, informed consent for testing and treatment, and issues related to the provision of services in an institutional setting in which maintenance of security is the primary mission. Medical providers must understand and navigate the dehumanization inherent in most correctional settings, competing life demands for incarcerated individuals, power dynamics within the correctional system, and the needs of family and significant others who remain in the community.
Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved 08/2010; 21(3):977-85. · 1.10 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Over 2.3 million adults were incarcerated in the United States (U.S.) at mid-year 2008, the majority of whom were male and
a racial or ethnic minority (West & Sabol, 2009). African Americans and Latinos were more than six times and twice as likely, respectively, as whites to be incarcerated
(West & Sabol). HIV prevalence and confirmed AIDS cases are higher among incarcerated populations than among the general U.S.
population, with the highest rates observed among Latinos and African Americans and among women (Maruschak, 2008). Elevated rates of hepatitis and other STIs also have been documented among both adolescent (Kelly, Bair, Baillargeon, &
Gerrman, 2000; Oh et al., 1998) and adult (Baillargeon, Black, Pulvino, & Dunn, 2000; Mertz et al., 2002) correctional populations.
12/2009: pages 271-309;
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ABSTRACT: An A-CASI survey of 197 men with a history of incarceration, ages 18-29, revealed that 50% and 17% of participants, respectively, had used substances or had sex while confined. Univariate regression analyses indicated that these two behaviors were correlated and both were associated with being older, having spent more years incarcerated, being sexual abused, and being involved with gangs and violence during incarceration. Multiple regression analyses showed that the likelihood of any substance use during incarceration was higher for men who were affiliated with a gang. Men were more likely to have had sex during incarceration if they reported having had a male sex partner in the community. The prevalence of sexual behavior also differed across sites. Findings document the occurrence of substance use and sexual behavior among incarcerated men, and highlight the need for continued research into the context of these behaviors.
AIDS and Behavior 02/2008; 12(1):27-40. · 3.49 Impact Factor
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David Wyatt Seal
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ABSTRACT: To summarize articles related to HIV/AIDS and correctional populations that were published from January 2004 through March 2005. In all, 43 empirical and seven non-empirical articles are summarized, about two-thirds of which are focused on correctional populations in the USA. The majority of the studies were descriptive; only two articles presented evaluation data for HIV prevention interventions.
Published studies during the review period documented elevated rates of HIV, STIs, and hepatitis among correctional populations--often associated with injection drug use, mental illness, and infectious-disease co-morbidity. These studies highlighted a global public-health need for comprehensive HIV risk-reduction programs that address not only disease prevention but also the factors enabling disease transmission. Research further demonstrated the detrimental effects of release from prison on medication adherence and disease progression among HIV-positive people, underscoring the need for transitional treatment and health-care services.
HIV-related research is urgently needed to document the global scope of HIV disease prevalence and correlates among incarcerated populations, to examine the impact of incarceration and release from prison on HIV risk behavior, to identify optimal treatment programs for HIV-positive individuals, and to rigorously evaluate HIV risk-reduction interventions for incarcerated people--particularly those focused on the period of community re-entry. Finally, research and activism are needed to impact structural factors impeding HIV-prevention efforts with correctional populations.
Current Opinion in Psychiatry 10/2005; 18(5):530-5. · 3.05 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The article describes men's perceptions of and experience with substance use and sexual behavior during incarceration. Grounded theory content analyses were performed on qualitative interviews conducted with 80 men, aged 18 to 29, in four U.S. states. Participants believed that drugs were easily available in prison. Half reported using substances, primarily marijuana or alcohol, while incarcerated. Key themes included the role of correctional personnel in the flow of substances in prison and the economic significance of substance trafficking. With regard to sexual behavior, most men acknowledged that it occurred but were hesitant to talk in-depth about it. There was a strong belief in "don't look, don't tell," and sex in prison was often associated with homosexual behavior or identity. Sex during incarceration was reported by 12 men, mostly with female partners. Participants were pessimistic about HIV/STD/hepatitis prevention efforts inside correctional facilities. These findings highlight the need for risk reduction programs for incarcerated men.
Health Education & Behavior 12/2004; 31(6):775-89. · 1.54 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Although the male condom remains the most commonly used method of HIV prevention, sexual health promotion interventions directed toward heterosexuals in the United States have focused primarily on women. In this paper, we discuss limitations of the utility of various HIV-prevention-related sexual health promotion messages as they pertain to the sexual behavior of heterosexual men. We also present several key considerations for the development of sexuality-based HIV health promotion directed toward this population, including the importance of developing HIV risk reduction messages that are responsive to (1) their predominant sexual and safer sex behavioral patterns; (2) the societal gender roles, norms, and scripts that guide heterosexual interactions; and (3) developmental and cultural influences on sexual behavior. We conclude with recommendations for future research.
Archives of Sexual Behavior 07/2004; 33(3):211-22. · 3.53 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Ninety-seven service providers, representing 83 agencies, were interviewed about sexual and drug use HIV/STD risk behaviors and their determinants among young men who have been released from prison. Providers believed that men frequently practiced sexual risk behavior, often in conjunction with substance use. Individual determinants of risk behavior primarily focused on "making up for lost time," being a man, degree of HIV/STD knowledge and vulnerability, desire to escape, and future orientation. Peers, partners, and family were portrayed as strong interpersonal influences on risk behavior, both positively and negatively. The dominant contextual determinant of risk behavior was the co-occurrence of sex and drug use. Structural determinants of reduced risk included stable housing, economic sufficiency, and positive community support for safer behavior (e.g., drug treatment access, needle exchange). The findings highlight the need for comprehensive, transitional case management for young men as they reintegrate into the community, including HIV/STD prevention.
AIDS and Behavior 07/2003; 7(2):131-41. · 3.49 Impact Factor
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Archives of Internal Medicine 04/2003; 163(6):738-9. · 11.46 Impact Factor
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Culture. 01/2003; Health & Sexuality(Vol. 5):295-319.
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ABSTRACT: Although the use of focus group methodology is increasing in social science research, few empirical evaluations of this method are found in the literature. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the utility of focus groups as a research method. We present a study in which a mixed-ethnicity sample of 44 men, ages 18–43 years, participated in both an individual interview and a focus group discussion covering 4 identical topics related to intimate and sexual relationships. Although both methods generated similar conclusions, a greater range and richness–depth of themes were present in the individual setting. However, dynamic interactions in the focus group setting provided insight beyond the content themes. Theories of small group dynamics are used to discuss our findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Group Dynamics Theory Research and Practice 11/1998; 2(4):253-266. · 0.88 Impact Factor
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David Wyatt Seal
Academic Psychiatry 31(2):143-5. · 0.81 Impact Factor
