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Place and Sexual Partnership Transition Among Young American Indian and Alaska Native Women

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Abstract

Multiple challenges expose American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) women to high-risk sexual partnerships and increased risk for HIV/STI. Using a unique sample of sexually-active young AIAN women (n = 129), we examined characteristics of last three partners and whether transitional partnerships were associated with different risk profiles, including where partners met, lived, and had sex. Respondents were more likely to have met their previous or current secondary partner (P2) at a friend’s or family setting (versus work or social setting) (AOR = 3.92; 95 % CI 1.31, 11.70). Condom use was less likely when meeting a partner at friend’s or family settings (AOR = 0.17; 95 % CI 0.05, 0.59). Sexual intercourse with P2 (compared to P1) usually took place in “riskier” settings such as a car, bar, or outside (AOR = 4.15; 95 % CI 1.59, 10.68). Perceived “safe” places, e.g., friend’s or family’s house, were identified with risky behaviors; thus, homogeneous messaging campaigns may promote a false sense of safety.

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Acknowledgments

The research team wishes to gratefully acknowledge the Sacred Journey Community Research Team for their contributions to the conceptualization and implementation of this project. Research reported in this publication was supported in part a developmental grant from the University of Washington Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), an NIH funded program (P30 AI027757) which is supported by the following NIH Institutes and Centers (NIAID, NCI, NIMH, NIDA, NICHD, NHLBI, NIA), National Institute of Drug Abuse R34 DA034529; NICHD (R00 HD057533) and National Institute of Mental Health R25MH084565 (Indigenous HIV/AIDS Research Training Program). Computing support was provided by a NICHD research infrastructure grant (5R24HD042828), to the UW Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology.

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  1. Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Box 354900, Seattle, WA, 98105-6299, USA

    Cynthia R. Pearson

  2. Department of Epidemiology & Global Health, University of Washington, Box 359931, Seattle, WA, 98105-9931, USA

    Susan Cassels

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Pearson, C.R., Cassels, S. Place and Sexual Partnership Transition Among Young American Indian and Alaska Native Women. AIDS Behav 18, 1443–1453 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-013-0667-x

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