Ethnic and Gender Differences in Beliefs about Sex Partner Questioning to Reduce HIV Risk

Abstract

With the increasing risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HPV) transmission among sexually active adolescents and young adults, individuals are sometimes advised to select sexual partners from lower H!V-risk populations. One method for doing so is directly asking questions about sexual risk histories. The current study examines, in a sample of 394 sexually active, heterosexual, unmarried youngAsian-A merican, African-American, Hispanic, and White adults, their perceptions of the effectiveness of partner questioning in reducing HIV risk and the extent to which they employ the technique. Results indicate that young adults, both male and female, expect others, particularly men, to minimize HIV risk histories. Ethnic differences were also found, with African-American and Hispanic young adults anticipating more frequent risk minimization. Despite this knowledge, a substantial proportion of young adults use partner questioning to reduce their HIV risk. Women who did so reported less frequent condom use when compared to other women.