Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116741

Tamyra Carroll¹, Susie Hoffman, DrPH¹, Sharlene Beckford, PhD¹, Kimberly E. Bylander, MPH¹, Joanne E. Mantell, PhD, MSPH¹, and Michael H. Augenbraun, MD FACP². (1) HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, NYS Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Dr., Unit 15, New York City, NY 10032, 212 923-7281, tsc2109@columbia.edu, (2) Departments of Medicine and Preventive Medicine & Community Health, SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Box 37, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11203

Introduction: Little is known about the sexual and reproductive health of West Indian (WI) immigrants, although they now represent almost one-third of NYC's Black population. Among the factors that may heighten WI immigrants' risk for HIV/STDs are gender inequalities in relationships. Qualitative studies form the Caribbean document polarized norms for sexual behavior. In diverse settings women's low relationship power, measured with the Relationship Power Scale (RPS) (Pulerwitz, 2002), has been associated with less condom use. The aim of this pilot study was to examine this association among WI immigrant women. Methods: Standardized interviews were conducted at a public STD clinic in Brooklyn, NY among women (n=36) who emigrated from an English-speaking WI country. Sexual risk behaviors, relationship and partner characteristics, sexual communication, history of abuse, and acculturation were assessed. Results: Reliability of the RPS was adequate (Cronbach's a=.70). RPS scores were lower among women who had experienced sexual coercion with their current partner (p=.03) and were positively associated with comfort in sexual communication (r=.47, p=<.01). Counter to expectation, RPS was lower among more acculturated WI women. There were no associations between RPS and any measure of condom use. Conclusion: Low relationship power was associated with possible markers of sexual risk – sexual coercion and less comfort in sexual communication -- but not with condom use in this small sample. This study adds to the body of knowledge linking relationship power and sexual risk.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants should be able to

• Be familiar with past literature on the association between relationship power and condom use.
• Recognize factors that may increase or decrease sexual risk behaviors in West Indian Immigrants.
• Identify possible associations between sexual risk behaviors and relationship power dynamics in the West Indian community.

Keywords: Sexual Risk Behavior, Immigrant Women

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.