Socio-cultural determinants of HIV Risky Sexual Behaviors among adult Latinas: a longitudinal study of a community-based sample

The socio-cultural determinants of HIV risky sexual behavior trajectories among adult substance misusing Latinas have been examined by few longitudinal studies. To examine the trajectories and correlation between socio-cultural determinants and sexual risk behaviors among adult Latinas, we used a longitudinal design to follow a sample of adult Latina mother-daughter-dyads (N=282) for 8 years, and collected four waves of data. The current study investigated the impacts of the following factors:(1) Individual Determinants (e.g.,socioeconomic conditions); (2) Cultural Determinants (e.g., acculturation to U.S. culture); (3) Interpersonal Determinants (e.g., relationship stress, mother daughter attachment, intimate partner violence); and (4) Community Determinants (e.g., neighborhood related stress) on HIV risk behaviors (multiple partners, sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol, vaginal or anal unprotected sex in the last 12 months) . We used SAS PROC Traj modeling estimates for our group analysis. Based on group trajectories we found a high probability group (2) and a low/medium probability of engaging in HIV risk behaviors (1). Among the mothers, there was not significant change in trajectory among group two. Among the high risk group, mothers with partners were more likely to engage in high HIV risk sexual behavior.  US born women and women who reported speaking English were more likely to fall into the high risk probability of engaging in HIV sexual risk behavior (2).  Among daughters in the low to medium risk (1), the probability of reporting HIV risky sexual behavior decreased significantly with time lived in the US.  Age and experiencing stress in the relationship were significantly associated with women falling into the high risk group (2). Our findings suggest the need for culturally appropriate interventions for foreign born high risk adult Latinas as well as U.S. born Latinas in general who may be at increased risk of HIV infection.