HIV and STD Knowledge of a Sexually Diverse Group of Hispanic Male College Students Sandra “Sande” Gracia Jones, PhD, ARNP, ACRN, ACNS-BC, FAAN1; Eric A. Fenkl, PhD, RN, CNE1; Roxana Orta, DNP, ARNP2; Patricia Messmer, PhD, RN, FAAN 2 1Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida; 2Benjamin Leon School of Nursing, Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida

Background HIV and other STDs have disproportionally affected Hispanics/Latinos (CDC, 2015) Although Hispanics made up 17% of the USA population in 2013, Hispanics accounted for 23% of the newly-diagnosed cases of HIV, with men accounting for 85% of the Hispanic cases

Background One study has shown that younger age has been associated with increased HIV knowledge in middle-aged and older Hispanic men (De Santis, Provencio-Vasquez, McCabe, & Rodriguez, 2012). Less is known about young Hispanic men ages 18-24

Purpose This descriptive correlational study examined HIV and STD knowledge, and the relationship between age, HIV and STD knowledge among Hispanic male college students This study was part of a larger study through the Minority-Serving Institutions initiative, SAMHSA  CSAP

Method After IRB approval, Hispanic men were recruited from two minority-serving institutions, a public university and a public college in South Florida Students completed: Demographic sheet Brief HIV knowledge test (HIV-KQ-18) (Carey & Schroder, 2002) Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ) (Jaworski & Carey, 2007)

Diverse Student Recruitment

Results Sample: 179 Hispanic male college students Mean age of the students was 24.05 years (SD=7.08); a majority (78.21%) were 25 or younger.  The sample was sexually-diverse 60.9% of respondents identified as straight; 20.7% as gay/homosexual; 8.9% as bisexual; and 9.5% as questioning/other

Results The mean number of correct responses for the HIV-KQ-18 was 13.2 correct out of a possible score of 18 The mean on the STD-KQ was only 14 out of a possible score of 27. After scoring the KQs, a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was conducted

Results There was a strong positive association between knowledge of HIV (M=13.21; SD=4.04) and knowledge of STDs (M=14.47; SD=7.20), r (177) = .67, p<.00 There was a moderate positive relationship between age (M=24.05; SD=7.08) and HIV knowledge scores (M=13.21; SD=4.04) r (175) = .43, p<.00 and a weak positive relationship between age (M=24.05; SD=7.08) and STD total scores (M=14.47; SD=7.20) r (173) = .31, p<.00

Table 1 Brief HIV knowledge (HIV-KQ-18) items means and Standard Deviations SD 1. Coughing and sneezing do not spread HIV. (true) .71 .45 2. A person can get HIV by sharing a glass of water with someone who has HIV. (false) .78 .41 3. Pulling out the penis before a man climaxes/cums keeps a woman from getting HIV during sex. (false) .84 .36 4. A woman can get HIV if she has anal sex with a man. (true) .81 .38 5. Showering or washing one’s genitals/private parts, after sex keeps a person from getting HIV. (false) .83 .37 6. All pregnant women infected with HIV will have babies born with AIDS (false) .63 .48 7. People who have been infected with HIV quickly show serious signs of being infected. (false) .77 8. There is a vaccine that can stop adults from getting HIV. (false) 9. People are likely to get HIV by deep kissing, putting their tongue in their partner’s mouth, if their partner has HIV. (false) .59 .49

Table 1 Brief HIV knowledge (HIV-KQ-18) items means and Standard Deviations SD 10. A woman cannot get HIV if she has sex during her period. (false) .79 .40 11. There is a female condom that can help decrease a woman’s chance of getting HIV. (true) .62 .48 12. A natural skin condom works better against HIV than does a latex condom. (false) .61 .49 13. A person will not get HIV if she or he is taking antibiotics. (false) .78 .41 14. Having sex with more than one partner can increase a person’s chance of being infected with HIV. (true) .83 .37 15. Taking a test for HIV one week after having sex will tell a person if she or he has HIV (false) .59 16. A person can get HIV by sitting in a hot tub or a swimming pool with a person who has HIV. (false) 17. A person can get HIV from oral sex. (true) .64 18. Using Vaseline or baby oil with condoms lowers the chance of getting HIV.(false) .76 .42

Table 2The Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ) Items means and SD Genital Herpes is caused by the same virus as HIV (false) .60 .48 Frequent urinary infections can cause Chlamydia (false) .43 .49 There is a cure for Gonorrhea.(true) .50 It is easier to get HIV if a person has another Sexually Transmitted Disease.(true) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is caused by the same virus that causes HIV. (false) .54 Having anal sex increases a person’s risk of getting Hepatitis B. (true) .40 Soon after infection with HIV a person develops open sores on his or her genitals (penis or vagina). (false) .53 There is a cure for Chlamydia. (true) .51 A woman who has Genital Herpes can pass the infection to her baby during childbirth. (true) .62

Table 2The Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ) Items means and SD A woman can look at her body and tell if she has Gonorrhea. (false) .55 .49 The same virus causes all of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases. (false) .65 .47 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) can cause Genital Warts. (true) .50 Using a natural skin (lambskin) condom can protect a person from getting HIV. (false) .48 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to cancer in women. (true) .53 A man must have vaginal sex to get Genital Warts. (false) .62 Sexually Transmitted Diseases can lead to health problems that are usually more serious for men than women. (false) A woman can tell that she has Chlamydia if she has a bad smelling odor from her vagina.(false) .32 .46 If a person tests positive for HIV the test can tell how sick the person will become (false) .67

Table 2The Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ) Items means and SD There is a vaccine available to prevent a person from getting Gonorrhea (false) .51 .50 A woman can tell by the way her body feels if she has a Sexually Transmitted Disease (false) .62 .48 A person who has Genital Herpes must have open sores to give the infection to his or her sexual partner (false) .33 .47 There is a vaccine that prevents a person from getting Chlamydia. (false) .52 A man can tell by the way his body feels if he has Hepatitis B. (false) .56 If a person had Gonorrhea in the past he or she is immune (protected) from getting it again.(false) .64 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) can cause HIV. (false) .53 A man can protect himself from getting Genital Warts by washing his genitals after sex. (false) .63 There is a vaccine that can protect a person from getting Hepatitis B.(true)

Bivarate correlations among Age, STDs scores & HIV scores Table 3 Bivarate correlations among Age, STDs scores & HIV scores variables M(SD) Age STD Score HIV scores 24.05 (7.08) 0.43** 0.31** STD scores 14.47 (7.20) . 0.67** 13.21 (4.04) Note: Correlations marked with an asterisk (*) were significant at p<.00

Implications Mean scores were low for HIV and STD knowledge, but higher levels of HIV knowledge were associated with higher levels of STD knowledge Participants' age was associated with only a moderate positive relationship for HIV knowledge, and a weak positive relationship for STD knowledge Study findings reveal the need to continue prevention education on campuses to increase knowledge, with a goal of decreasing new cases of HIV/STDs in young Hispanic men