Factors Associated with HIV Testing Behaviors among Latino Emerging Adults

Authors

Daisy Ramirez Ortiz, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Public Health

First Advisor's Name

Miguel Angel Cano

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Diana M. Sheehan

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Third Advisor's Name

Gladys Ibanez

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Boubakari Ibrahimou

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fifth Advisor's Name

Mario De La Rosa

Fifth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Keywords

Latino/a, emerging adults, HIV testing, familism, self-efficacy, distress tolerance, sexual risk behaviors, cognitive reappraisal

Date of Defense

3-16-2020

Abstract

Latino emerging adults account for a significant proportion of incident HIV cases among emerging adults aged 18-24 in the United States, but have a lower prevalence of HIV testing compared to other racial/ethnic emerging adult groups. Yet, factors that influence HIV testing behaviors among Latino emerging adults are poorly understood. This dissertation examined sociocultural and psychological factors of HIV testing behaviors among a sample of 157 sexually active Latino emerging adults aged 18 to 25. Cross-sectional data from the Project on Health among Emerging Adult Latinos (Project HEAL) were used. Robust Poisson regressions were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and hierarchical logistic regressions were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for HIV testing behaviors.

Findings indicated that 59.9% of participants reported lifetime history of HIV testing. Of those engaging in sexual risk behaviors, 62.8% reported lifetime history of HIV testing. Familism support was significantly associated with lifetime history of HIV testing (aPR= .81, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .68-.95). Nativity status but not gender moderated the association between familism support and lifetime history of HIV testing. Also, self-efficacy for HIV testing was significantly associated with lifetime history of HIV testing (aOR=3.49, 95% CI: 1.78-6.83), and this association was moderated by distress tolerance and sexual risk behaviors. Lastly, cognitive reappraisal was significantly associated with HIV testing intentions (aOR=1.44, 95%CI=1.04-1.99), and this association was moderated by gender.

Collectively, our findings highlight the significance of sociocultural and psychological factors that are associated with HIV testing behaviors and may have the potential to inform evidence-based prevention programs that promote HIV testing among Latino emerging adults. Future research should examine the direction of these potential casual associations to better inform HIV testing efforts.

Identifier

FIDC008903

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5374-3348

Previously Published In

Ramírez-Ortiz, D., Sheehan, D. M., Moore, M. P., Ibañez, G. E., Ibrahimou, B., De La Rosa, M., & Cano, M. Á. (2020). HIV Testing Among Latino Emerging Adults: Examining Associations with Familism Support, Nativity, and Gender. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 10.1007/s10903-020-01000-x. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-01000-x

Ramírez-Ortiz, D., Sheehan, D. M., Ibañez, G. E., Ibrahimou, B., De La Rosa, M., & Cano, M. Á. (2020). Self-efficacy and HIV testing among Latino emerging adults: examining the moderating effects of distress tolerance and sexual risk behaviors. AIDS care, 1–9. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2020.173625

Recommended Citation

Ramirez Ortiz, Daisy, "Factors Associated with HIV Testing Behaviors among Latino Emerging Adults" (2020). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4436.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/4436