Not sure if folks are aware of this study, took part, or witnessed it
HIV/AIDS; Studies in the Area of HIV/AIDS Reported from University of Michigan</STRONG>
25 February 2012
Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week
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(c) Copyright 2012 Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week via NewsRx.com
2012 FEB 25 - (NewsRx.com) -- Investigators publish new data in the report "A syndemic analysis of alcohol use and sexual risk behavior among tourism employees in Sosua, Dominican Republic. 'The Dominican Republic has high rates of HIV infection and alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, little research has been focused on the broader sources of the synergy between these two health outcomes," scientists in Ann Arbor, Michigan report.
"We draw on syndemic theory to argue that alcohol consumption and sexual risk behavior are best analyzed within the context of culture and economy in Caribbean tourism spaces, which produce a synergy between apparently independent outcomes. We sampled 32 men and women working in the tourism industry at alcohol-serving establishments in Sosua, Dominican Republic. Interviewees described alcohol consumption as an implicit requirement of tourism work, tourism industry business practices that foster alcohol consumption, and an intertwining relationship between alcohol and sexual commerce. The need to establish relationships with tourists, combined with the overconsumption of alcohol, contributed to a perceived loss of sexual control, which participants felt could impede condom use," wrote M.B. Padilla and colleagues, University of Michigan.
The researchers concluded: "Interventions should incorporate knowledge of the social context of tourism areas to mitigate the contextual factors that contribute to HIV infection and alcohol consumption among locals."
Padilla and colleagues published their study in Qualitative Health Research (A syndemic analysis of alcohol use and sexual risk behavior among tourism employees in Sosua, Dominican Republic. Qualitative Health Research, 2012;22(1):89-102).
For additional information, contact M.B. Padilla, Dept. of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.
The publisher's contact information for the journal Qualitative Health Research is: SAGE Publications, USA , 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.
This article was prepared by Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2012, Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week via NewsRx.com.