Biomedical subjects

B Lichtenstein

Publications and source records attributed to B Lichtenstein.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

HIV risk and healthcare attitudes among detained adolescents in rural Alabama.

This qualitative study explored the dynamics of adolescent HIV risk through focus group interviews of male and female adolescents at an Alabama juvenile detention facility, key informant interviews, and through interviews of HIV-positive and -negative adults in institutional settings and public health clinics in Alabama. The interviews revealed that commodified or unprotected sex with multiple partners was a common risk activity for male and female adolescents, with a related high risk of sexually transmitted disease. The adolescents were aversive to condom use and lacked knowledge of the dynamics of HIV transmission. Bisexually behaving males who engaged in same-sex prostitution for money or drugs viewed female partners as the source of HIV infection. Illicit drug activity and risky sexual behavior were highly related to economic and status anxiety. Experiences of healthcare were often coercive or were undermined by negative perceptions of health professionals. These negative perceptions and avoidance or lack of access to healthcare compounded the already high risk of sexually transmitted disease for this group of adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Women's douching practices and related attitudes: findings from four focus groups.

PURPOSE: Vaginal douching is a common hygiene practice for many U.S. women, but is associated with several health risks. Little is known about the beliefs and attitudes that promote and maintain douching practices. This qualitative study, consisting of four focus groups of 31 southern women, was conducted to gather in-depth information about attitudes and beliefs associated with douching. The focus groups consisted of separate groups of low-income and middle-income Caucasian and African-American women. RESULTS: The African-Americans and low-income Caucasians were more likely to douche than middle-income Caucasians. The participants reported douching after menstruation, after sexual intercourse, and at other times for cleanliness and odor control. Concern about odor and cleanliness was a recurrent theme, and douching was represented as an expected and necessary part of feminine hygiene. Several socioeconomic and racial differences were observed in douching practices and attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary information about women's douching practices and attitudes that may inform practitioners' educational efforts and future research.

Black or African American↗

PubMed2000

Secret encounters: black men, bisexuality, and AIDS in Alabama.

Black men suffer the highest rates of HIV infection in Alabama. However, little is known about the HIV risks of this sector of the population, primarily because the current public health focus is on women and children. The dearth of research on HIV risk among black men in Alabama is addressed by drawing on focus group, elicitation, and key informant data from an ongoing epidemiologic study on AIDS in that state. These hypothesis-generating qualitative interviews were used to identify three high-risk scenarios: "sex for money or drugs"; "prison sex"; and "sneaky sex" by married or nominally heterosexual men. It was found that covert and unprotected sex among bisexually active black men was commonplace for reasons that included prostitution, habituation to same-sex relations during incarceration, and the desire to maintain a facade of heterosexuality in homophobic communities. It was concluded that bisexual activity is highly correlated with secrecy and unprotected sex. The risks of bisexuality among black men are exacerbated by incarceration, homophobia, drug use, and the prison and public health focus on surveillance rather than prevention.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Don't ask questions: a psychotherapeutic strategy for treatment of involuntary clients.

This article puts forth the proposition that asking questions is detrimental to successful therapy with unwilling clients. The utility of three commonly used approaches is examined by asking. Does continuing questioning impede therapy with involuntary clients? Are therapists asking questions primarily as a means of coping personally with sullen and silent, or angry and abrasive client behavior? Is it correct to assume that asking "why" is a particularly poor therapy intervention because it brings therapists and clients into a futile search for causation of behaviors? It is recommended that statements, instead of questions, should be introduced as the preferred therapeutic modality with reluctant and unwilling clients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1997