Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Diana Naser

Abstract

Improved and increased human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among African American women in the United States could facilitate early detection of the virus. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to determine if there was a significant association between HIV testing participation and education level (i.e., high school, college, post-college level) based on access to healthcare after accounting for insurance, income, employment, marital status, English language proficiency, and vision quality. The integrated theory of health behavior change, the theoretical framework used for this research, proposes that changes in health behavior can be improved by various factors such as fostering knowledge and increasing self-regulation skills. Data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey dataset were analyzed using logistic regression. The sample for the study was 3203 African American women who were 30 years and older, living in the United States. The results of the analysis indicated that education level was significantly associated with HIV testing (p = .02), such that higher education level is associated with a greater likelihood of undergoing HIV testing (p = .01). Additionally, better English proficiency was associated with a greater likelihood of HIV testing because enabled patients to improve their communication with clinicians within a health care facility. Finally, participants with a vision problem were less likely to undergo HIV testing than participants without a vision problem (p = .03). The findings of this study could provide evidence for promoting tailored education, culturally competent tools, and educational materials about HIV, as well as improve HIV testing among vulnerable populations, especially among African American women.

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