HIV/AIDS risk in the college population: modifying the culture in a private religious university.

From 1991 to the present, the AIDS Task Force in a private religious university has established a broad-based, multidisciplinary, multifaceted program aimed at reducing sexual risk taking as well as related behaviors. This has been accomplished at no cost to the university. The task force has focused on facilitating linkages among interested groups within the university and on maintaining quality programming. Success is indicated by increased openness to dialogue about sexual issues, as well as increased participation in AIDS education activities.

Health and illness concepts for cultural competence with Japanese clients.

Large numbers of Japanese nationals influx the United States annually. To enable health professionals to better serve this population, selected health and illness concepts are discussed. These include selfcare and risk behaviors, beliefs and practices related to illness and death, and attitudes toward health professionals. Implications for practice are identified.

Problem-focused coping in HIV-infected mothers in relation to self-efficacy, uncertainty, social support, and psychological distress.

A preliminary investigation of relationships among perceived self-efficacy, uncertainty, social support, psychological distress, and problem-focused coping was conducted in a convenience sample of 41 HIV-infected mothers. The mothers represented 93% of the clients in a large HIV clinic in 1992 who met the study criteria. Support was found for using Lazarus and Folkman's stress, appraisal, and coping framework to understand the health-related needs of HIV-infected mothers. Maternal coping was related to living with one's children and their HIV-status. The feasibility of studying this population of women was demonstrated. Findings suggest the need for exploration of family-focused interventions.

Birth in the Japanese context.

A qualitative study of the experiences of 20 American women who gave birth in Japan is reported. Five interrelated issues that were important to this group of women emerged from the interview data: a sense of isolation, the need for security, the need to regain control, the need for affirmation, and the need for cultural support. These findings are interpreted within a framework of stress and coping, maternal identification, and cultural adaptation theories. These women were dually stressed by the demands of childbearing and transcultural migration. Implications for clinical practice are suggested.