Public Health Commons^™

Western Washington University Students’ Relationships, Sexual Behaviors, And Experiences Of Intimacy During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Avia Breiter

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Introduction: College students were uniquely affected by the pandemic because of transitions in living situations and a lack of social connection. The current study explored students’ relationships, experiences of intimacy, and sexual behaviors during March 2020 to March 2021 of the pandemic.

Method: A convenience sample (N=288) of WWU students participated in an online survey. Data indicated participants were majority women (66.9%), white (74.2%), and varied in sexual orientations (heterosexual (47.8%); bisexual (25.7%); LGQ+ (24.5%)). This mixed methods survey comprised questions about individuals’ pandemic context, relationships, intimacy, and sexual behaviors alone and with others.

Results: The majority of respondents (67.1%) …

Gonorrhea: Core Areas And State Policies, Jessica Purser

Theses and Dissertations

This research looked at gonorrhea rates both from a community perspective and at the state level. Using hot spot analysis, means differences, and quantile regression, we found that education, specifically the percent of people over the age of 25 with less than a high school education, was the dominant factor at the state level while core areas of gonorrhea exist in the PeeDee and western Lowcountry regions of South Carolina in 2017 and 2018. Risky sexual behaviors are well-defined in the literature for individual persons, but this shows that looking at societal and community factors is important.

This is a …

Associations Between Living On The Texas-Mexico Border, Drug Use, And Sexual Behaviors Among Sexual Minority Men During The First Shelter-In-Place Order Of The Coronavirus Pandemic, Nqobile Nzama

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: There have been changes in drug use and sexual behaviors among sexual minority men since the coronavirus pandemic. At this time, there is not adequate literature focusing on the state of Texas. Aims and Objective: The aims of this secondary data analysis and exploratory study are to determine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and living on the Texas-Mexico border, drug use, sexual behaviors, and use of dating/hook-up apps among sexual minority men who completed the COVID-19 & You Survey conducted between May 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020, during the first shelter-in-place order of the Coronavirus pandemic. Hypotheses: The hypotheses …

Willingness To Attend Sex Venues In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In New York City: Results From An Online Survey With Sexual And Gender Minority Individuals, Étienne Meunier, Anne E. Sundelson, Stephen Tellone, Daniel Alohan, Celia B. Fisher, Christian Grov

Covid-19 Digital Research

Collective sex venues (places where people have sex in groups or in the presence of others, such as bathhouses or sex clubs) are locations where SARS-CoV-2 transmission is likely to occur. We conducted an online survey to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among 342 sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals who had attended collective sex venues (CSV) in New York City (NYC) in the prior year. Almost 1 in 10 (9.9%) participants reported having received a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 infection or antibodies. Although a minority (27.5%) of participants reported being comfortable attending a CSV during the COVID-19 …

Swipe Right For Condoms And Testing: Differences In High-Risk Sexual Behavior And Sexual Health Beliefs Among Dating App Users Compared To Non-App Users, Shelby A. Smout

Theses and Dissertations

Millions of Americans are currently using smartphone dating applications (apps) to socialize and meet with others. In some cases, app-based conversations lead to sexual interactions. Previous research examining the relationship between the use of dating apps and sexual behaviors has found that individuals who use dating apps and meet with partners from the app are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors such as having multiple partners and inconsistent condom use. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 are the group most likely to be using dating apps compared to other age groups and are a high-risk group …

Assessing Condom Use Among Navajo Men In The Southwest, Terra E. Yabeny

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Navajo tribe reports extraordinarily high number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexual populations. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the cultural value of adil' idli (self-respect) and how this cultural practice might influence health behaviors in sexual activity, condoms use, and acquiring of STDs among Navajo men. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was the theoretical foundation for providing a deeper understanding of the social, environmental, and cultural factors of condom use among Navajo men. Research questions …

Sexual Behaviors, Hiv Knowledge, Hiv Testing Attitudes And Recent Hiv Testing Among Female Entertainment Workers In Cambodia: A Cross-Sectional Study, Siyan Yi, Sovannary Tuot, Pheak Chhoun, Khuondyla Pal, Kolab Chhim, Chanrith Ngin, Carinne M. Brody

BACKGROUND: In Cambodian context, female entertainment workers (FEWs) are young women working at establishments such as karaoke bars, restaurants, beer gardens or massage parlors. FEWs may sell sex to male patrons and are considered a high-risk group for HIV. This study aimed to identify factors associated with recent HIV testing among FEWs in Cambodia to inform future prevention activities.

METHODS: Data were collected in 2014 as part of the evaluation of a larger HIV prevention project. A two-stage cluster sampling method was used to select participants from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap for face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. A …

Hiv Prevalence, Risky Behaviors, And Discrimination Experiences Among Transgender Women In Cambodia: Descriptive Findings From A National Integrated Biological And Behavioral Survey, Siyan Yi, Chanrith Ngin, Sovannary Tuot, Pheak Chhoun, Srean Chhim, Khuondyla Pal, Gitau Mburu

Background: Transgender people are disproportionately affected by HIV. Despite their high vulnerability to HIV, lack of adequate epidemiological and surveillance data related to this population in many countries prevents provision of appropriate services. This paper summarizes descriptive findings from a national integrated biological and behavioral survey and discusses policy implications of the findings on HIV prevention among transgender women in Cambodia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2015 and February 2016. Participants were recruited from 20 sites in the capital city and 12 provinces of Cambodia using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) method. Behavioral data were collected …

Correlates Of Sexual-Risk Behaviors Among Young Black Msm: Implications For Clinic-Based Counseling Programs, Richard A. Crosby, Leandro Mena, Janelle M. Ricks

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

This study applied an 8-item index of recent sexual-risk behaviors to young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) and evaluated the distribution for normality. The distribution was tested for associations with possible antecedents of sexual risk. YBMSM (N = 600), aged 16–29 years, were recruited from a sexually transmitted infection clinic, located in the southern US. Men completed an extensive audio computer-assisted self-interview. Thirteen possible antecedents of sexual risk, as assessed by the index, were selected for analyses. The 8-item index formed a normal distribution with a mean of 4.77 (SD = 1.77). In adjusted analyses, not …

A Call For Parental Monitoring To Improve Condom Use Among Secondary School Students In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Linda B. Mlunde, Krishna C. Poudel, Bruno F. Sunguya, Jessie K. K. Mbwambo, Junko Yasuoka, Keiko Otsuka, Omary Ubuguyu, Masamine Jimba

Krishna C. Poudel

Background: The number of people newly infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been decreasing in sub-Saharan Africa, but prevalence of the infection remains unacceptably high among young people. Despite the alarming pervasiveness of the virus, young people in this region continue to engage in risky sexual behaviors including unprotected sexual intercourse. In developed countries, parents can play important roles in protecting young people from such behaviors, but evidence regarding the impact of parental involvement is still limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, we conducted this study to examine the magnitude of risky sexual behaviors and the association of parental monitoring …

A Call For Parental Monitoring To Improve Condom Use Among Secondary School Students In Dar Es Salamm, Tanzania, Linda B. Mlunde, Krishna C. Poudel, Bruno F. Sunguya, Jessie K K Mlowambo, Junko Yasuoka, Keiko Ostuka, Omary Ubuguyu, Masamine Jimba

Krishna C. Poudel

Background: The number of people newly infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been decreasing in sub-Saharan Africa, but prevalence of the infection remains unacceptably high among young people. Despite the alarming pervasiveness of the virus, young people in this region continue to engage in risky sexual behaviors including unprotected sexual intercourse. In developed countries, parents can play important roles in protecting young people from such behaviors, but evidence regarding the impact of parental involvement is still limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, we conducted this study to examine the magnitude of risky sexual behaviors and the association of parental monitoring …