The purpose of this descriptive and correlational study was to understand the role of sexual compulsivity, sensation seeking, and alcohol use as mediators of HIV risk behaviors among college students. College students (n = 256) completed an online survey in 2003. Instruments included the Sexual Compulsivity Scale (SCS), Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS), and the College Alcohol Problem Scale (CAPS). Men scored higher on the SSS and SCS than women. Women who belong to Greek organizations reported significantly more personal problems, including depression and low self-esteem, after consuming alcohol than women who were not members of Greek organizations. Four predictor variables associated with HIV risk behaviors were age, high score on SSS and CAPS, but a low score on SCS. The personality dispositions of sexual sensation seeking and compulsivity among college students may need to be explored in other college settings, to determine if these traits are related to HIV risk taking behaviors. Interventions to help women better cope with the effects of alcohol and self-esteem issues may be beneficial.

This descriptive correlational study examined the relationships of sexual sensation seeking, self-esteem, and self-efficacy in condom use, stages of change, and alcohol consumption to HIV risk-taking behaviors among college students. A total of 159 students completed an online survey in 2004. Instruments included the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale, College Alcohol Problems Scale, Condom Use Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. High sensation seekers had higher self-esteem, more self-efficacy in condom usage, fewer problems associated with alcohol consumption, and belonged to Greek organizations (F [1,158] = 12.54; p < .0005). Women who were high sensation seekers perceived more advantages (F [1, 116] = 1.67; p = .05) than disadvantages (F [1, 116] = 2.01; p = .01) to using condoms. Men consumed significantly more alcohol and had more social problems related to alcohol use than women (F [1, 158] = 5.04; p < .03). Students in Greek organizations had significantly more positive attitudes (X(2) [1] = 4.55; p < .03) and more respect for themselves (X(2) [1] = 11.22; p < .0008) than other students and were more likely to be tested for HIV (X(2) [1] = 3.85; p < .05). Students with low self-esteem consumed more alcohol, had more sexual partners, and had more HIV risk-taking behaviors than other students. Even though students were reported to be efficacious in condom usage, they used them inconsistently with their sexual partners and were in the earlier stages of change. Interventions are needed in the community to help sexually active individuals take responsibility for their sexual health and to increase the awareness of the need to be tested for HIV.

To test the effects of four surgical scrub products on colonizing hand flora, 60 healthy adult volunteers were assigned by block randomization (12 subjects per group) to use one of the following formulations: 70% ethyl alcohol with 0.5% chlorhexidine gluconate (ALC); a liquid detergent base containing 1% triclosan (TRI); a liquid detergent base containing 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG); a liquid detergent base containing 7.5% povidone-iodine (PI); or a nonantimicrobial liquid soap (control). Using standard protocol, subjects performed a surgical scrub daily for five consecutive days. Hand cultures were obtained at baseline and on test days 1 and 5 immediately after the scrub and following four hours of gloving. After the first and last scrubs, ALC, CHG and PI resulted in significant reductions in colonizing flora when compared to the control. Additionally, by day 5 ALC was associated with an almost 3-log reduction as compared to an approximate 1.5-log reduction for CHG and PI and less than a 1-log reduction of TRI and the control (p = .009). After four hours of gloving on both days 1 and 5, microbial counts on hands of subjects using ALC, TRI and CHG were significantly lower than counts for the control (p less than .001), whereas there was no significant difference in counts between the PI and control groups (p = .41). Skin assessment by study subjects rated products from least to most harsh as follows: control, TRI, CHG, ALC and PI p = .00001). It was concluded that ALC could be an efficacious and acceptable alternative for surgical scrubbing.

This pilot study (a) examined the stages of change (SOC) for condom use with primary and casual partners among rural heterosexual African American stimulant users, (b) identified gender differences in variables associated with SOC, and (c) assessed the association of SOC with decisional balance and self-efficacy. Seventy-two participants completed the study. SOC with a primary partner was much lower than SOC with a casual partner, indicating more consistent condom use with casual partners. Significant gender differences existed in decisional balance for condom use for both primary (p = 0.02) and casual partners (p = 0.03), with women having higher decisional balance scores than men. Women also reported higher self-efficacy scores for condom use with casual partners than men. In regression models, age, decisional balance, and self-efficacy were significantly associated with SOC for condom use with a primary partner; however, only self-efficacy was significantly associated with SOC with casual partners. The findings provide support for the development of interventions that promote the advantages of and increase self-efficacy for condom use.Correspondence to: Donna L. Gullette. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2008) has estimated that there are over 1.1 million cases of HIV in the United States. African Americans, Hispanics, and men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by HIV infection (CDC, 2008; CDC, 2007a). The rates of new HIV infections are estimated to be 83.8 per 100,000 population among African Americans, 29.4 per 100,000 among Hispanics, and 11.5 per 100,000 among Caucasians (CDC, 2008; CDC, 2007b). The HIV prevalence rate for African American men is 6 times the rate of Caucasian men. The HIV prevalence rate for African American women is 18 times the rate of Caucasian women (CDC, 2008). The CDC (2008) has estimated that approximately 21% of people living with HIV are unaware of their infection, placing others at risk for contracting HIV through unprotected sexual contact. High-risk heterosexual contact remains the primary mode of transmission for HIV among African American women and accounts for 80% of the new infections compared to 13% of new infections among African American men (CDC, 2008). NIH Public AccessThe South has the largest number of AIDS cases (40%) of any region in the United States (CDC, 2008). Of those who have died from HIV infection, there has been a steady increase from 28% to 51% of the proportion who reside in the South. The South shares a substantial...

To test the effects of four surgical scrub products on colonizing hand flora, 60 healthy adult volunteers were assigned by block randomization (12 subjects per group) to use one of the following formulations: 70% ethyl alcohol with 0.5% chlorhexidine gluconate (ALC); a liquid detergent base containing 1% triclosan (TRI); a liquid detergent base containing 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG); a liquid detergent base containing 7.5% povidone-iodine (PI); or a nonantimicrobial liquid soap (control). Using standard protocol, subjects performed a surgical scrub daily for five consecutive days. Hand cultures were obtained at baseline and on test days 1 and 5 immediately after the scrub and following four hours of gloving. After the first and last scrubs, ALC, CHG and PI resulted in significant reductions in colonizing flora when compared to the control. Additionally, by day 5 ALC was associated with an almost 3-log reduction as compared to an approximate 1.5-log reduction for CHG and PI and less than a 1-log reduction of TRI and the control (p = .009). After four hours of gloving on both days 1 and 5, microbial counts on hands of subjects using ALC, TRI and CHG were significantly lower than counts for the control (p less than .001), whereas there was no significant difference in counts between the PI and control groups (p = .41). Skin assessment by study subjects rated products from least to most harsh as follows: control, TRI, CHG, ALC and PI p = .00001). It was concluded that ALC could be an efficacious and acceptable alternative for surgical scrubbing.