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Biomedical subjects

W A Fisher

Publications and source records attributed to W A Fisher.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Changing AIDS-risk behavior.

This article contains a comprehensive, critical review of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-risk-reduction literature on interventions that have targeted risky sexual behavior and intravenous drug use practices. A conceptually based, highly generalizable model for promoting and evaluating AIDS-risk behavior change in any population of interest is then proposed. The model holds that AIDS-risk reduction is a function of people's information about AIDS transmission and prevention, their motivation to reduce AIDS risk, and their behavioral skills for performing the specific acts involved in risk reduction. Supportive tests of this model, using structural equation modeling techniques, are then reported for populations of university students and gay male affinity group members.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

High-risk STD/HIV behavior among college students.

The current sexually transmitted disease (STD) epidemic in adolescents has led to concern about the potential for spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 1988, a total of 5514 students in first-year community college and university classrooms across Canada were surveyed to assess STD/HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and risk behavior. The students' mean age was 19.7 years; the male-to-female ratio was 1:1.4. Students knew more about HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome than other STDs. Of the 74.3% of the men and 68.9% of the women who were coitally active, 14.3% of the men and 18.6% of the women had participated in anal intercourse and 5.5% reported a previous STD. Only 24.8% of the men and 15.6% of the women always used a condom during sexual intercourse. Among the 21.3% of the men and 8.6% of the women with 10 or more partners, regular condom use was reported in only 21% and 7.5%, respectively. In this subgroup, anal intercourse was practiced by 26.9% of the men and 34.8% of the women, and previous STD was reported by 10.6% and 24.2%, respectively. Factors associated with not using a condom included number of sexual partners, embarrassment about condom purchase, difficulty discussing condom use with a partner, use of oral contraceptives, insufficient knowledge of HIV/STDs, and the belief that condoms interfere with sexual pleasure. These factors are potentially amenable to change. Effective, behaviorally focused educational programs are needed to improve condom use and reduce STD/HIV risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Students' sexual knowledge, attitudes toward sex, and willingness to treat sexual concerns.

In the research reported here, the authors examined the relation of 82 medical students' feelings about sex to their level of sexual knowledge, willingness to treat patients with sexual concerns, and participation in an elective sex education course. The results showed that the erotophobic students (those with negative feelings about sexuality) had significantly lower levels of sexual knowledge and were significantly less likely to participate in an elective human sexuality course than the erotophilic students (those with positive feelings about sexuality). Moreover, the erotophobic students who took part in the sexuality course benefited from it less than did the erotophilic students as measured by their willingness to treat patients with sexual concerns. Finally, although the students overall were relatively knowledgeable about sex and were relatively willing to treat patients with sexual concerns, troubling gaps in specific sexual knowledge and in willingness to treat patients with certain sexual concerns (such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome) were identified. Medical schools need to structure sex education in ways that take account of students' ambivalent feelings about sex and need to provide sex education that increases both sexual knowledge and willingness to treat patients with sexual concerns.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sex education and the prevention of STD/AIDS and pregnancy among youths.

The prevention of unwanted pregnancy and STD/AIDS are two major goals of health educators. Usually these are discussed as separate goals. In this paper both of these health concerns are presented from a behavioural preventive perspective. Our objective is to outline the essential components to be used by health educators in school-based sex education programs focussing on the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and STD/AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗