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Social Norms, Gender Ratio Imbalance, Perceptions of Risk, and the Sexual Behaviors of African American Women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

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Abstract

This literature review provides a summary of the sexual risk literature focused on black college students and identifies some of the risk factors associated with African American women attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The review included analysis of scholarly work and web-based data with an emphasis on studies exploring the sexual behaviors of students attending HBCUs published between 2000 and 2016. The results indicated that social norms, religiosity, gender ratio imbalances on campus, and perceived STD risk remain important factors associated with the sexual behaviors of African American women at HBCUs. Black college students in general and African American women specifically remain underrepresented and understudied in the research focused on sexual risk behaviors. The review suggests that additional empirical studies are needed to examine the sexual behaviors of African American college women as well as the programs in place at HBCUs to increase student knowledge about STIs.

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  1. Bowie State University, Bowie, MD, USA

    Jennifer Michelle Johnson

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  1. Jennifer Michelle Johnson
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Correspondence to Jennifer Michelle Johnson.

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Johnson, J.M. Social Norms, Gender Ratio Imbalance, Perceptions of Risk, and the Sexual Behaviors of African American Women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. J Afr Am St 21, 203–215 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-017-9354-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-017-9354-8

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