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Study Finds Religiosity Can Be Important Tool in Preventing Spread of HIV-AIDS

SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 5, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - HIV-positive people who say religion is an important part of their lives are likely to have fewer sexual partners and engage in high-risk sexual behavior less frequently than other people with the virus that causes AIDS, according to a study issued today by the RAND Corporation.

As a result, people with HIV who have stronger religious ties are less likely to spread the virus, according to the study by the nonprofit research organization.

The study measured religiosity by asking people to report how important religion was in their lives; whether they identified with a particular religious group; whether they preferrred being with people of the same religion; and how often they attended religious or spiritual services.

David Kanouse, a RAND senior behavioral scientist and principal investigator on the project, said the study did not identify what specific component of religiosity made a difference in sexual activity. However, he said two factors - moral beliefs and membership in a faith community - may be important.

"Moral beliefs may indicate an underlying altruism and a desire to make sure no one else is infected with HIV," Kanouse said. "Promoting these feelings could then be used as a component of HIV prevention programs."

Frank H. Galvan, lead author of the study and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior with the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, said the findings are consistent with other studies that have found a link between religiosity and fewer lifetime sexual partners and an inverse relationship between religiosity and other high-risk behaviors, such as substance abuse.

Researchers studied a nationally representative sample of 1,421 people getting medical care for HIV - 932 of whom reported recent sexual activity.

The RAND Health study is titled "Religiosity, Denominational Affiliation and Sexual Behaviors among People with HIV in the U.S." It appears in the February issue of the Journal of Sex Research, which was published in March. The study was conducted with a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

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