Previous research demonstrates that religion plays a significant role in understanding attitudes and behavior regarding the environment. In addition, studies also demonstrate value change across cohorts and time in postmaterialist attitudes. However, limited empirical evidence exists that considers both simultaneously. The advantage of the approach relied on here is that the model can estimate “true” change in “proenvironmental” attitude levels within each religious group by cohort and period while also testing the role of compositional effects on these trends. Our analyses demonstrate that support for environmental spending is the result of period effects rather than cohort-based change. Moreover, although support for environmental spending differs among religious denominations, changes are the result of periodic shifts that are experienced by all denominations. Thus, without any unique denominational shifts in support for environmental spending, the so-called “greening” of Christianity is not supported here.
We sought to determine the prevalence of HIV conspiracy beliefs in patients with HIV and how those beliefs correlate with access and adherence to HIV care and health outcomes. From March to December 2005, 113 patients at four public facilities in Houston, Texas, diagnosed with HIV for 3 years or less, participated in a crosssectional survey. Conspiracy beliefs were assessed with five items that dealt with HIV origin, cure, and vaccine. Medical records were reviewed for CD4 cell counts, HAART use, and appointment dates. Statistical analyses (including analysis of variance [ANOVA], 2 testing, and regression) determined the predictors of conspiracy beliefs and correlated them with outcomes. Sixty-three percent of the participants endorsed 1 or more conspiracy beliefs. African American patients more often held HIV conspiracy beliefs than white and other/mixed race patients (73%, 52%, 47%; p ϭ 0.045). Persons holding 1 or more conspiracy beliefs had higher CD4 cell counts at diagnosis (254 cells/mm 3 versus 92, p ϭ 0.03); and similar rates of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) use (73% versus 71%), 100% adherence to HAART by self-report (53% versus 45%,), mean adherence by pharmacy refill (83% versuss 87%), and gaps in care greater than 120 days (49% versus 53%), compared to subjects who did not hold any conspiracy beliefs (all p Ͼ 0.40). Since recruitment focused on patients in care, patients with extreme conspiracy beliefs may be underrepresented. Despite this, more than 50% of the study population endorsed 1 or more conspiracy belief. However, these beliefs did not negatively impact access or adherence to HIV care. Efforts to improve adherence to HIV care may not need to focus on eliminating conspiracy beliefs.
753
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.