ABSTRACT
PIP: Hispanic Americans have one of the highest rates of HIV seroprevalence among all ethnics groups in the US, with high rates being especially noticeable among women and children. Were it known which cultural factors have the most influence on whether Hispanics engage in high-risk behavior for HIV transmission, prevention interventions could be targeted accordingly. To that end, this study was mounted to identify which Hispanic cultural factors relate to condom use. 117 males and 73 females aged 17-56 years of mean age 25.67 were surveyed in Washoe county, Nevada. These mostly young adults had recently immigrated to the western US. It was initially posited that fate orientation, male- female relationships, family relationships, machismo behavior, and religion would have equal influence with respect to condom use. Analysis found that condom use was largely associated with and determined by men who are the principal buyers of condoms. A machismo attitude toward protecting women by using condoms was also associated with condom use. Neither fate orientation with respect to AIDS, nor religion were important determinants of condom use, even though 86.5% of the respondents were Catholic. The degree to which respondents adhered to traditional Hispanic cultural values was influenced by the degree of education and acculturation. On the basis of these findings, the authors suggest targeting AIDS prevention messages to males, while emphasizing the protection of women through condom use. They also suggest that both education and acculturation levels be assessed before implementing prevention programs.^ieng
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , Catholicism , Condoms , Contraception Behavior , Culture , Data Collection , Educational Status , Family Characteristics , HIV Infections , Health Services Needs and Demand , Hispanic or Latino , Interpersonal Relations , Population Characteristics , Americas , Behavior , Christianity , Contraception , Demography , Developed Countries , Disease , Economics , Ethnicity , Family Planning Services , Health Planning , Nevada , North America , Organization and Administration , Population , Religion , Research , Sampling Studies , Social Class , Socioeconomic Factors , United States , Virus DiseasesABSTRACT
A newly devised, variable EEG cap-style electrode that has an electrical salt bridge with 2% agarose gel and 5% NaCl solution was developed. The number of electrodes can be increased as required. The weight of 15 electrodes is about 100g. The electrode is simple, fast and in a one-touch form for measuring the EEG. An EEG using this electrode system was recorded in a healthy man in a sitting position on a chair, at rest, and with eyes closed. The power spectrum showed different patterns for the power at different concentrations of aqueous solution in the matrix of the salt bridge. The power changed to a pattern of J-type with 20% NaCl solution, to a pattern of U-type with 5% NaCl solution, and to a pattern of L-type with 0.9% NaCl solution, respectively. The matrix of the salt bridge that has a concentration higher than 0.9% NaCl, is a hypertonic solution for the isotonic body liquid. One person felt pain in half of the part of the experiment when a 20% NaCl hypertonic solution was applied to the scalp, so a 20% NaCl solution of the salt bridge was used in experiments concerning osmosis. When a salt bridge of 5% NaCl solution was used, the same results of the wave measurement was obtained 10 times. It was a value close to the expected measurement so it has a high probability of being correct. At this time the power spectrum shows a U-type pattern consistently.
