An innovative HIV / AIDS research and education program in Puerto Rico.

The University of Puerto Ricos HIV/AIDS Research and Education Center was founded to promote research and to create programs to help prevent HIV infection through a decrease in risk practices. Specific Center goals are to create and launch research projects to identify the sociocultural factors behind risk behaviors and to develop innovative educational programs and techniques based upon the research findings. Before the founding of the center a survey of more than 7000 University of Puerto Rico students found that about 10% of respondents reported always using condoms during sex; male and female respondents reported averages of 6.1 and 2.5 lifetime sex partners respectively; approximately 30% of the female respondents reported having engaged in anal intercourse; and Puerto Ricans have rigid sexual norms and polarized gender roles. These findings point to the need for meaningful HIV/AIDS interventions. The center has launched a 5-year project to relate contextual variables to the context of sexuality and gender roles in sexual negotiation and sexual practices in Puerto Rico. The centers education program is described.