This brief intervention, delivered as part of STI clinical care, could help alleviate the disproportionate STI-HIV burden among young Black men.

The dramatic racial disparities in the rates of HIV/STIs among African Americans make understanding broader structural factors that increase the risk for HIV/STIs crucial. The current study of young 564 African American men attending sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics investigated whether those who had ever been incarcerated reported recent sexual behaviors relatively more risky than their counterparts who had never been incarcerated. Participants were recruited from clinics treating STIs in three southern U.S. cities. Males 15–23 years of age who identified as Black/African American and reported recent (past two months) sexual activity were eligible. Linear mixed-effects models and Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) models were used to assess associations between baseline incarceration history and sexual risk behavior over a 6-month follow-up period. Mean age was 19.6 years (SD=1.87). At baseline, 240 (42.6%) men reported history of incarceration. Incarceration history predicted several risk behaviors over a 6-month follow-up period. Compared to those with no incarceration history, men previously incarcerated reported a desire to conceive a pregnancy (β=.40, p=.02), were less likely to have used a condom at last sex act (OR=.91, p=.02) and were more likely to have used drugs and alcohol before sex in the past two months (β=.69, p<.001; β=.41, p<.001). A history of incarceration may influence the sexual risk behavior of young African American males. Prevention programs and interventions should intensify support for post-incarceration African American males to help mitigate this behavior.

A focus group session, using the Theory of Planned Behavior to guide questions and discussion, was conducted at midpoint of a 12-month cooking skills program in a rural Appalachian food desert. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control beliefs that influenced participation in these classes. Participants viewed the classes as opportunities for social interaction and to have new experiences. Subjective norms were influenced by family members and traditional cooking. Perceived behavioral control was influenced by the opportunity to try new foods without concern of food waste, acquisition of the knowledge to introduce healthy foods into family meals and enhanced food preparation skills. During the evaluation, a strong sense of participant appreciation of researcher presence was discovered. This unexpected positive component of the program will be promoted using motivational interviewing techniques to enhance adherence to healthy eating behaviors during and after cooking skills programs.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people are affected by multiple health disparities and risk factors, including tobacco use. Few studies to date have examined tobacco use specifically in rural LGB populations, and none has investigated the intersections of identity, rural LGB culture, and tobacco. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspective of Appalachian LGB people regarding tobacco use. Methods Nineteen LGB-identified Appalachian residents participated in audiotaped, semi-structured interviews. Two authors analyzed and coded transcripts through constant comparison, and determined themes through consensus. Results Five themes emerged: the convergence of Appalachian and LGB identities, tacit awareness of LGB identity by others, culture and tobacco use, perceived associations with tobacco use, and health beliefs and health care. Conclusions LGB Appalachians connect stress and culture to tobacco, but seem less aware that partial concealment of their identity might be a source of the stress that could influence their smoking.

Until stronger evidence suggests that condom migration is unlikely, it is important to be mindful of the potential for condom migration to occur in response to biomedical interventions (circumcision, microbicides and vaccines).