Mediation effects of problem drinking and marijuana use on HIV sexual risk behaviors among childhood sexually abused South African heterosexual men

• Published in: Child abuse & neglect 2014-02, Vol.38 (2), p.234-242
• Main Authors: Icard, Larry D, Jemmott, John B, Teitelman, Anne, O’Leary, Ann, Heeren, G. Anita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Adult Survivors of Child Abuse - psychology; Alcohol Abuse; Alcoholism; Alcoholism - complications; Alcoholism - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child abuse & neglect; Child Abuse, Sexual - psychology; Childhood sexual abuse; Drinking; Drug abuse; Eastern Cape; Heterosexual; Heterosexuality - psychology; HIV; HIV Infections - etiology; HIV Infections - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Interviews; Male; Males; Marijuana; Marijuana Abuse - complications; Marijuana Abuse - psychology; Marijuana use; Mediation; Medical sciences; Men; Pediatrics; Problem drinking; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Sexual Orientation; South Africa; South Africa - epidemiology; Unsafe Sex - psychology; Victimology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0145-2134; 1873-7757
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.08.002

Abstract HIV/AIDS prevalence in South Africa is one of the highest in the world with heterosexual, transmission predominantly promoting the epidemic. The goal of this study is to examine whether, marijuana use and problem drinking mediate the relationship between histories of childhood sexual, abuse (CSA) and HIV risk behaviors among heterosexual men. Participants were 1181 Black men aged, 18–45 from randomly selected neighborhoods in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Audio computer assisted, self-interviewing was used to assess self-reported childhood sexual abuse, problem drinking, and marijuana (dagga) use, and HIV sexual transmission behavior with steady and casual partners. Data were analyzed using multiple meditational modeling. There was more support for problem, drinking than marijuana use as a mediator. Findings suggest that problem drinking and marijuana use, mediate HIV sexual risk behaviors in men with histories of CSA. Focusing on men with histories of CSA, and their use of marijuana and alcohol may be particularly useful for designing strategies to reduce, HIV sexual transmission in South Africa.