HIV Risk Behavior in Recently Released Jail Inmates: The Roles of Perceived Risk,

George Mason University, Fairfax VA

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Using data from a longitudinal study of inmates in the D.C. metropolitan area, the proposed project aims to investigate the relationship between jail inmates'perceived risk of contracting HIV and their actual risk behavior, in the first year post-release. The study also seeks to better understand the role of connectedness to both the community-at-large and to the criminal community in newly-released inmates'engagement in HIV risk behavior (i.e., risky sex and drug use). Further, the proposed research will explore the impact of degree of community social disorder on HIV risk behavior, along with its interactive effects with community connectedness to predict such behavior. This project will yield new information regarding individual-level cognitive and community attachment factors as well as structural and social influences that may influence HIV risk behavior, thus potentially providing multiple novel targets of intervention in order to reduce the rate of HIV infection in this high risk population. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: To reduce the burden of HIV/AIDS contraction in a high-risk population (jail inmates) and in the communities to which members of this population return, the proposed study seeks to explore and better understand the interactive effects of individual, social, and societal influences of HIV risk behavior. The proposed study aims to further knowledge about recently released inmates'risky sexual and needle use behavior in an effort to create effective strategies for reducing the spread of this often-deadly disease.