Risky Sexual Behavior and Correlates of STD Prevalence Among African American HIV Serodiscordant Couples

AIDS Behav (2010) 14:1023–1031 DOI 10.1007/s10461-010-9698-8 ORIGINAL PAPER Risky Sexual Behavior and Correlates of STD Prevalence Among African American HIV Serodiscordant Couples The NIMH Multisite HIV/STD Prevention Trial for African American Couples Group Published online: 25 May 2010 O Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010 Abstract This paper reports baseline behavioral and biological data collected from a cohort of 535 African American HIV serodiscordant couples enrolled in the Eban study across four urban metro areas. Data were collected on (1) the prevalence of risky sexual behaviors that occur within a couple and with concurrent sexual partners, (2) the STD prevalence for each member of the couple and (3) the correlates of STDs in the male partner as well as in the female partner. Presentation of the sociodemographic characterization and HIV risk behavior profiles of African American HIV serodiscordant couples represents an important initial description of a hidden, vulnerable pop- ulation. Future research should be conducted with diverse samples of African American couples (i.e., younger cou- ples, non-stable couples) to explore other potential corre- lates of STD prevalence. The NIMH Multisite HIV/STD Prevention Trial for African American Couples Study Group Facilitators Jeffery Brently, MSW - Columbia Rebecca D. Cheraquit, MSSW - Columbia Deborah Gray - Columbia Linda Hakim - Columbia Bright Sarfo - Columbia Kijana Saunders - Columbia Dawn Simmons, MSW - Columbia Keisha Wilson, MSW - Columbia Nikia D. Braxton, MPH - Emory Christina Camp, PhD - Emory Anita Conner, MPH - Emory Jevon Gibson - Emory Alvin Harmon, PhD - Emory Teaniese Latham, MPH - Emory Tiffany Pennick-Walters, MPH - Emory Kenneth Rucker - Emory Shammara Steinback, MPH - Emory Phillip Williams - Emory Richard Williams, PhD - Emory Shauni Williams - Emory Kevin Chancy, PsyD - UCLA Frank Levels - UCLA Nathaniel Thomas, PhD - UCLA Reginald Bennett, MS - Penn Shirley Bryson, MSW - Penn Salema Curtis, MPH - Penn Michelle Jones, MS - Penn Phyllis Jones, MSW - Penn Malachi Moore, MS - Penn Charles Patterson, MA - Penn Marcia Penn, MS - Penn Alicia Samuel, M.Ed. - Penn Steering Committee Nabila El-Bassel, DSW (PI) - Columbia Gina Wingood, ScD, MPH (PI) - Emory Gail E. Wyatt, PhD (PI) - UCLA John B. Jemmott, III, PhD (PI) - Penn Willo Pequegnat, PhD - NIMH J. Richard Landis, PhD (PI) - DCC Co-Investigators Scarlett Bellamy, ScD - DCC Louisa Gilbert, PhD Candidate - Columbia Robert H. Remien, PhD - Columbia Susan Witte, PhD - Columbia Elwin Wu, PhD - Columbia Ralph DiClemente, PhD - Emory Hector Myers, PhD - UCLA Loretta Sweet Jemmott, PhD, RN, FAAN - Penn David Metzger, PhD - Penn Data Coordinating Center (DCC - Penn) Shawn Ballard, MS Trina Brown Quincy Greene Christopher Helker, RN, MSPH Nancy Robinson, PhD Lynne Allen-Taylor, PhD Dina Appleby, MS Evelyn Crowley, PhD Project Directors Angela Ankoma MSSW, MPH - Columbia Deidre Ashton, MSSW - Columbia Dawn A. Goddard, MSS - Columbia Tamu Daniel, MPH - Emory Tina Henderson, PhD - UCLA Inna Rivkin, PhD - UCLA Cynthia M. Green, MA - Penn