Patterns of Alcohol Use and Expectancies Predict Sexual Risk Taking Among Non-Problem Drinking Women

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective: Although alcohol consumption and sexual risk taking are associated, not everyone who drinks alcohol engages in risky sexual behavior. The purposes of the present study were to identify patterns of alcohol use behaviors and alcohol expectancies among women who are non-problem drinkers and to examine how these patterns are associated with indices of sexual risk. Method: Data from 758 non-problem drinking women who have sex with men and were not in committed relationships were analyzed using latent profi le analysis to determine patterns of alcohol use and alcohol-related expectancies. Results: Of the four patterns observed, three classes had similar alcohol-related expectancies but differed with respect to drinking behavior (moderate drinking, regular heavy episodes, and frequent heavy episodes), and the fourth class consisted of moderate drinkers with low expectancies (low expectancies). Results revealed that those in the frequent heavy episodes class had the greatest number of sexual partners in the past year and drank the most alcohol before having sex compared with the other women. Both the regular and frequent heavy episodes classes reported greater likelihood of having unprotected sex in the future, more positive beliefs about casual sex, and greater subjective intoxication before having sex than women in the moderate drinking or low expectancies classes. Women in the low expectancies class reported less positive beliefs about condoms than those in the moderate drinking and regular heavy episodes classes. Conclusions: Results suggest that different patterns of expectancies and drinking behaviors are associated with different indices of sexual risk taking and highlight the importance of individually tailored programs for prevention of sexually transmitted infections. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 74, 223-232, 2013)

High Rates of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection in Homeless Women: Informing Public Health Strategies

“…Within this high-risk population, results were consistent with national samples that point to female heterosexual orientation as a risk factor for prevalent HSV-2 infection. 29,30 They are also similar to prior studies linking alcohol consumption to risky sexual intentions, 31 risky sexual behaviors, [32][33][34][35] HSV-2 infection, 9,36 and other STDs, 33 an association especially important among HIVnegative individuals in this analysis (Table 2). Thus, in addition to screening for HSV-2 infection among all women experiencing housing instability, additional sexual risk and alcohol counseling may assist in tailoring services and interventions aimed at reducing HSV-2 in impoverished women.…”

Profiles of African American College Students’ Alcohol Use and Sexual Behaviors: Associations With Stress, Racial Discrimination, and Social Support

“…Consistent with numerous previous findings among the general adult population, our results revealed profiles that were composed of individuals who were at heightened alcohol risk and of co-occurring risk. For example, a recent study examining drinking patterns and sexual risk behaviors of 18- to 35-year-olds (of which 31% were college students and 7.9% were African American) found that frequent heavy drinkers had the greatest number of sexual partners and were the most likely to drink alcohol before having sex (Stappenbeck et al, 2013). Overall, results of the current latent class analysis suggest there is indeed significant variation in the risk behavior engagement of African American college students.…”

Sex-Related Alcohol Expectancies Among African American Women Attending an Urban STI Clinic

“…The SRAEs of African American women attending an STI clinic may result in high risk sex and also in unwanted/forced/coerced sex, and suggests the importance of developing integrated alcohol -sexual risk reduction interventions for high risk women (Sales et al, 2012; Stappenbeck et al, 2013). First, we recommend that such interventions increase self-awareness and self-monitoring by helping women identify their SRAEs.…”

“…Women holding this SRAE are more likely to consume higher quantities of alcohol before sex and more likely to engage in risky sex after drinking (Crowe & George, 1989; Fromme, D'Amico, & Katz, 1999; Gilmore et al, 2013; Hendershot, Stoner, George, & Norris, 2007). Compared with women who have no or weak enhancement expectancies, women with strong enhancement SRAEs more often report intentions to have and/or history of: 1) sex with a casual partner (Abbey, Saenz, & Buck 2005; Cooper, 2002; George & Stoner, 2000; Parks, Hsieh, Collins, Levonyan-Radloff, & King, 2009); 2) sex with a new partner (Gilmore et al, 2013); 3) substance-impaired sex (Leigh, 1990; Weinhardt, Otto-Salaj, Brondino, Norberg, & Kalichman, 2002; White, Fleming, Catalano, & Bailery, 2009); 4) unprotected sex (Corbin & Fromme, 2002; Maisto, Carey, Carey, Gordon, & Schum, 2004); and 5) a greater number of sex partners [Hendershot et al, 2007; Stappenbeck, Norris, Kiekel, Morrison, George, Davis, Zawacki, Jacques-Tiura, & Abdallah, 2013; Weinhardt et al, 2002). Women with enhancement SRAEs are also more likely to report a history of sexual victimization (Marx, Nichols-Anderson, Messman-Moore, Miranda, & Porter, 2000; Testa & Dermen, 1999), which may occur as a consequence of engaging in risky sexually behaviors.…”