Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Jill Kaspszak

Abstract

HIV testing rates are much lower among African American male college students than male college students of other racial groups. Routine HIV testing on college campuses can decrease HIV rates among African Americans and increase students' awareness of their HIV status. This study was an investigation of factors associated with HIV testing among a sample of 140 African American male college students. The health belief model guided the research study and served as the theoretical framework to examine the influence of factors such as the location of testing, STD status, number of sexual partners, insurance coverage, health information, and alcohol consumption on the uptake of HIV testing among the study population. The study was a quantitative cross-sectional design that used secondary data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems collected between 2016 and 2017. The study findings revealed that testing location, alcohol use, number of sexual partners, and insurance coverage were not statistically significant factors in African American male college students' participation in HIV testing. Thus, health interventions on college campuses can promote societal change by offering tailored messaging, campaigns, and educational materials to the target audience. Based on the study findings, there is an opportunity for future researchers to explore how public health practitioners can design culturally tailored interventions to have a more significant impact on African American males. In addition, the health belief model can offer insights into risk factors that can help explain HIV testing practices in disproportionately affected people resulting in positive social change.

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