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Sexual Function in Younger and Older HIV+adults in the United States and Puerto Rico

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Abstract

Since HIV infection can be spread through sexual contact, it is important to understand how sexual behavior is expressed in different age groups. The purpose of this article was to conduct a secondary analysis of a multi-site study to explore sexual function in a sample of younger /older HIV+persons living in the United States (N = 558) and Puerto Rico (N = 98). Data were collected using a demographic survey and the Sexual Function subscale of the HIV Assessment Tool (HAT)-Quality of Life instrument. Independent sample t-tests found significant differences (p = .002) in sexual function for younger/adult HIV+person in the US but not in PR (p = .770). Regional variations in sexual function need to be explored in order to tailor the most effective primary and secondary HIV prevention messages.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hunter College, CUNY, Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing, 425 East 25 St., Box 874, New York, NY, 10010, USA

    Kathleen M. Nokes

  2. Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA, USA

    Patrice K. Nicholas

  3. University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico

    Marta Rivero

  4. School of Health Sciences, Universidad del Turabo, Gurabo, Puerto Rico

    María E. Rosa

  5. Seton Family of Hospitals, Austin, TX, USA

    Kenn Kirksey

  6. University of Utah, Salt Lake, UT, USA

    Shahnaz Moezzi

  7. MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA, USA

    Inge B. Corless

  8. Chicago State University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Mary Maryland

  9. Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Suzanne Willard

  10. University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Linda Robinson

  11. Texas A & M University, Corpus Christi, TX, USA

    Mary J. Hamilton & Elizabeth Sefcik

  12. Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA

    Dean Wantland & William L. Holzemer

  13. University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Carmen Portillo

Authors
  1. Kathleen M. Nokes
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  2. Patrice K. Nicholas
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  3. Marta Rivero
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  4. María E. Rosa
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  5. Kenn Kirksey
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  6. Shahnaz Moezzi
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  7. Inge B. Corless
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  8. Mary Maryland
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  9. Suzanne Willard
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  10. Linda Robinson
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  11. Mary J. Hamilton
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  12. Elizabeth Sefcik
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  13. Dean Wantland
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  14. William L. Holzemer
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  15. Carmen Portillo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kathleen M. Nokes.

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Nokes, K.M., Nicholas, P.K., Rivero, M. et al. Sexual Function in Younger and Older HIV+adults in the United States and Puerto Rico. Ageing Int 36, 334–345 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-011-9120-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-011-9120-5

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