Cynthia Gomez, Olga Grinstead, Dellanira Valencia-Garcia, Debra Allen, Dina Hondrogen, Angelica Martinez, Kathleen Erwin University of California San Francisco, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies A Gender-Economic Model of HIV Risk in African American and Latina Women

GEM is a five year study examining the extent to which the intersection of socio-culturally prescribed sexual gender norms (SGN) and socioeconomic context (SEC) are associated with sexual risk behaviors among African American and Latina women.

Study Aims  Identify, assess and compare socio-culturally sanctioned SGN for African American and Latina women.  Identify the extent to which African American and Latina women of differing SEC acquiesce to culturally sanctioned SGN.  Test the GEM model for understanding HIV risk in women by assessing how the intersection of SGN and SEC contributes to, and predicts sexual risk behaviors among African American and Latina women.

Gender-Economic Model Sexual Gender Norm Conformity Less Traditional Norms More Traditional Norms Some vulnerability Least vulnerable to HIV risk Most vulnerable to HIV risk Some vulnerability Socioeconomic Context Lo HI

Eligibility Criteria  African American & Latina women  HIV negative  18 years of age or older  Live in the greater San Francisco metropolitan area  Have had a least one male sex partner in the previous 12 months

Phase I: Qualitative Assessments Focus Groups  11 groups (N=94) were conducted with women from mixed socioeconomic backgrounds in both English and Spanish In-depth Personal Interviews  25 interviews were conducted to further examine sexual, social, and economic factors

Phase I: Qualitative Findings Focus Groups  Differences in perception of gender roles between African American and Latina women.  Differences in perceptions regarding community involvement and trust.  High awareness and concern for STDs and HIV infection.  Regional, generational, and acculturation differences in perceptions of gender roles.

Phase I: Qualitative Findings Personal Interviews  Many women are engaging in high risk sexual encounters.  Gender role compliance varies by partners.  Some women believe that women stay in relationships with men for financial reasons.  Women with more resources view themselves as having more choices.

Where Are We Now? Quantitative Survey Development  Survey includes measures of economic resources, economic decision-making, income and wealth, social capital, sexual gender norms, and sexual risk behavior. Survey Pilot-Testing (n=40)  Audio Computer-Assisted Self Interview (A-CASI) Development of the Recruitment Plan  Cross-sectional sample of 600 women via two sampling techniques: - Venue Based Sampling - Respondent Driven Sampling  Recruitment to begin late Summer

Contact Information Cynthia Gomez, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator) (415) Dellanira Valencia-Garcia, M.A. (Project Director) (415)