Trivia: Items from the International AIDS Conference, Part 3

• Although condoms are important in combating the spread of HIV, policies promoting them are often inappropriate, and a broad, all-inclusive approach needs to be adopted, because such policies often ignore existing values and beliefs.

• According to a survey of 205 African Americans in Alabama, HIV/AIDS conspiracy beliefs are common among African Americans infected with HIV/AIDS. Approximately 53% of respondents believed that HIV is a manmade virus, 31% believed that AIDS is a form of genocide against blacks, and 43% strongly agreed that AIDS was produced in the government's laboratory. Endorsing HIV/AIDS conspiracy beliefs was not related to gender, but to age and educational attainment. This mistrust can be a barrier to prevention and treatment in the African American population.

• In a study of incarcerated men, researchers found that having engaged in community based public and private religious activities prior to incarceration was relatively protective against risky sexual behaviors. Researchers suggest that HIV interventions that build upon prior religious experiences may be particularly helpful and culturally appropriate for men of color more so than for Caucasian men.

• Health literacy is generally described as the ability to read, understand, and take action on health information and instructions. Researchers sought to determine relationships between health literacy, health outcomes, and use of healthcare services of 490 English-speaking persons living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. They found a strong correlation between more years of education and health literacy. Surprisingly, however, they found that persons with higher health literacy reported poorer health outcomes, and that there was no difference in the use of healthcare services among individuals with different levels of health literacy.

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