The Role of Sexual Health Professionals in Developing a Shared Concept of Risky Sexual Behavior and HIV Transmission

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Public Health Nurs
• Personal Author:
  Brawner, Bridgette M. ; Alexander, Kamila A. ; Fannin, Ehriel F. ; Baker, Jillian L. ; Davis, Zupenda M.
• Description:
  "Risky sexual behavior" accounts for the majority of new HIV infections regardless of gender, age, geographic location, or ethnicity. The phrase, however, refers to a relatively nebulous concept that hampers development of effective sexual health communication strategies. The purpose of this paper was to propose development of a shared conceptual understanding of "risky sexual behavior." We reviewed multidisciplinary HIV/AIDS literature to identify definitions of risky sexual behavior. Both the linguistic components and the social mechanisms that contribute to the concept of risky sexual behaviors were noted. Risky sexual behavior was often defined in a subjective manner in the literature, even in the scientific research. We urge a paradigm shift to focus on explicit behaviors and the social context of those behaviors in determining HIV risk. We also propose a new definition that reduces individual biases and promotes a broader discussion of the degree of sexual risk across a diversity of behavioral contexts. Sexual health professionals can strengthen practice and research initiatives by operating from a concise working definition of risky sexual behavior that is broadly transferable and expands beyond a traditional focus on identity-based groups.
• Subjects:
  Communication Evidence-Based Practice Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Health Personnel HIV Infections Humans Patient Education As Topic Professional-Patient Relations Professional Role Reproductive Health Risk-Taking Risk Assessment Sexual Behavior

  More +
• Source:
  Public Health Nurs. 33(2):139-150.
• Pubmed ID:
  26184496
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4715781
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  T32 HD064428/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; P20 NR008361/NR/NINR NIH HHS/United States ; U01PS003304/PS/NCHHSTP CDC HHS/United States ; F31 NR013121/NR/NINR NIH HHS/United States ; UL1 TR001079/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States ; T32 NR007100/NR/NINR NIH HHS/United States ; R25 MH087217/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; R25MH087217/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; R01 HD061061/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; 5R01HD061061-03/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; F31NR013121/NR/NINR NIH HHS/United States ; T32HDO64428/PHS HHS/United States ; P20NR008361/NR/NINR NIH HHS/United States ; 5T32NR007100-13/NR/NINR NIH HHS/United States ; U01 PS003304/PS/NCHHSTP CDC HHS/United States
• Volume:
  33
• Issue:
  2
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:66e0cc28f5c12a3950131bc993e540d64ded606c401575b5ff751da8754e1dcb
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/37560/cdc_37560_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 127.32 KB ]