For over forty years, researchers, activists, and policymakers have questioned how, if at all, pornography affects its viewers. Previous research has focused on how pornography relates to many factors including sexual risks, sexual permissiveness, violence, rape myth acceptance, and sexual behaviors. Much of this research, though, has been unable to identify the direction of the relationship between viewing sexually explicit material and various sexual attitudes and behaviors, and rarely studies a sample that is representative of the U.S. adult population. Instead, much of the research on pornography has relied on college student samples or other convenience samples. My study addresses these gaps by exploring a wide range of sexual behaviors and attitudes through surveying a sample of respondents who participate in online survey research panels. By accessing online survey panels, researchers are able to specify the demographics they would like their particular sample to reflect. For this study, a sample has been selected to reflect the U.S. population on age, race, and gender. To better assess the directionality of the relationship between exposure to sexually explicit material and respondents’ sexual behaviors and attitudes, I have included several closed-ended items that may help to better identify the temporal order of these variables. Additionally, I have used open-ended questions to provide a more in-depth account of respondents’ perceptions of pornography and how it relates to their sexual behaviors and relationships. Findings suggest that not only are there correlations between viewing pornography and the sexual acts participants engage in and find arousing, but that the material individuals are exposed to may be shaping their behaviors and attitudes. I discuss the quantitative findings in relation to respondents’ qualitative remarks within the context of sexual scripts theory.

The prevalence of male-centric pornography has been attributed to accepted (heteronormative) notions of gender specific sexual arousal, with men being characterized as visually stimulated and women naturally more aurally and emotionally receptive (cf. Christensen 1990, Faust 1980, Soble 2002). It has been argued that “if women reject the freedom to enjoy pornography and even male cheesecake, it must be because – no matter what permissions society gives us – women do not want it” (Abramson and Pinkerton 1995: 184). As women are not imagined as the intended recipients of these materials, this study was interested in how women connect their use of sexually explicit materials to their sexual biographies in the on-going process of (re)presenting their sexual identities. I wanted to not only explore what women conceptualize as sexually explicit materials and how they make sense of what they are seeing, but how and why these materials are used, the meanings attributed to these materials and the pleasures derived from them. To this end, 26 women between the ages of 25-35 were interviewed, either individually or as part of a focus group. A theoretical analytic, which bridged interactionist accounts of meaning-making and Foucauldian accounts of discourse, discipline and docile bodies, was articulated to account for how pornographic spectatorship is created, maintained and regulated. Regulation and resistance were situated within broader understandings of sexual scripts and governmentality, focusing on the construction (meaning-making) and deconstruction (resistance) of understandings of mainstream/malestream pornography. This research resulted in two interesting outcomes: (a) the redefinition of ‘gaze’ to account for active female spectatorship, as described by the women who participated in this study; and (b) discussion surrounding the ‘ethical use’ of pornographic materials, conceptualized via a governmentality lens. For the women who participated in this study, engaging with sexually explicit materials was not a passive experience. The narratives elicited demonstrate that these women did not merely absorb pornographic representations unquestioningly; they interrogated them, both subconsciously and consciously, brought new meanings to them and understood them through a decidedly female gaze – their own. These findings suggest a disruption to the assumption of female sexual passivity reverberated throughout patriarchal society.

The purpose of this study is to describe the determinants of STBBI related knowledge, risk behaviours, and prevalence as they relate to sexual health among incarcerated youth between 16 and 24 years of age in Manitoba. The study involved a cross-sectional questionnaire and testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and Hepatitis C among 210 male and female youth in nine provincial correctional centres. Descriptive analysis of STBBI knowledge, risk behaviours, and prevalence are presented. Potential associations between each of these sexual health outcomes and the epidemiologic context of risk are explored using univariate and multiple regression analysis. Longer incarceration history was associated with higher STBBI knowledge, higher sexual risk behaviours and higher STBBI prevalence. STBBI knowledge was associated with growing up on a reserve. Early age of initial substance use and injection drug use were found to be significantly associated with poor sexual health. Recommendations include increasing STBBI awareness using culturally appropriate, peer-led interventions, improving educational attainment, integrating sexual health education with substance use interventions inside corrections, increasing collaboration between community and corrections and improving opportunities for STBBI screening inside correctional centres.

This thesis examines aspects of the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the Australian community, with a particular emphasis on HIV/AIDS in the context of general practice (or primary care settings). The work has four broad aims: i) To describe the primary prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, following from the arrival of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Australia ii) To describe HIV/STD risk behaviour iii) To summarise previously known evidence of interventions to reduce risk and to raise awareness of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases iv) To contribute new evidence addressing the potential of the general practitioners' role in HIV/STD prevention The first chapter gives a brief review of the history of HIV/AIDS from its discovery in the United States of America to its appearance in Australia and New Zealand, and discusses the Australian response strategies, both initial and continuing, to confine the epidemic. Specifically, the arrival of HIV/AIDS gave rise to increasing awareness of sexually transmitted diseases, which hitherto, although sometimes chronic, were rarely fatal. The public health risk of HIV necessitated swift government action and led to wider acceptance of publicity about sexual behaviour. Although the thesis does not concentrate solely on HIV, this is still an emphasis. This chapter provides useful background to ensuing chapters. Chapter Two provides an overview of behavioural risk in sexually transmitted diseases. It gives a review of risk factor prevalence studies, and introduces risk behaviour and cognitive models of behaviour change, as applied to STD risk. Sexual behaviour is a complex social interaction, usually involving more than one person, and relying on the personality and behaviour patterns intrinsic to the individuals taking part. It is therefore perhaps more challenging to alter than behaviour which is undertaken alone, being dependent on the behaviour and intentions of both parties. Moreover, comprehensive assessment of sexual risk behaviour requires very detailed information about each incident. Its private nature makes accurate data difficult to obtain, and sexual risk behaviour is, correspondingly, difficult to measure. Chapter Three reviews the effectiveness of interventions tested in primary health care settings to reduce sexual risk behaviour. The candidate uses a replicable method to retrieve and critique studies, comparable with standards now required by the Cochrane Collaboration. From 22 studies discussed, nine health interventions were short, 'one-shot', efforts owing to limited time, resources and other practical constraints. This review demonstrates the scarcity of interventions with people who may be perceived as 'low-risk'. Only four interventions were carried out in community health centres and two in university health clinics. One of the university interventions showed no change in sexual behaviour in any of three arms of the intervention (Wenger, Greenberg et al 1992) while the other showed an increase in condom use in both groups, although the intervention group's self-efficacy and assertiveness also improved (Sikkema, Winett & Lombard 1995). The rationale for the intervention, where given, is described. Chapter Four analyses the content, format and quality of sexual health information brochures available in New South Wales at the time of the candidate's own planning for an interventional study. One of the most effective ways to disseminate information widely is by the use of educational literature, especially when the subject material is potentially sensitive or embarrassing to discuss in person. In this chapter, the candidate reviews the literature available at the time of designing the intervention used in Chapter Five. Readability, attractiveness, clarity and the accurate presentation of facts about sexually transmitted disease risk are examined for each pamphlet. Forty-seven pamphlets were scored according to the Flesch formula, and twenty-four of these scored in the 'fairly' to 'very difficult' range. There was, therefore, a paucity of easy-to-read material on these subjects. Chapter Five evaluates a general practitioner-based counselling intervention to raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and to modify HIV/STD risk behaviour. While adults aged 18-25 are less likely than older cohorts to have a regular general practitioner or to visit often, most people visit a general practitioner at least once a year. This could provide an opportunity for the general practitioner to raise preventive health issues, especially with infrequent attendees. As the effectiveness of an opportunistic intervention about sexual risk behaviour was yet to be tested, the candidate designed an innovative randomised controlled trial to raise awareness of risk and increase preventive behaviour. The participation rate was 90% and 76% consented to followup; however the attrition rate meant that overall only 52% of the original participants completed the follow-up questionnaire. The intervention proved easy and acceptable both to GPs and to patients, and risk perception had increased at three months' follow-up; however this occurred in both the control (odds ratio 2.6) and the intervention group, whose risk perception at baseline was higher (odds ratio 1.3). In order to establish some markers of risk in the general population, Chapter Six analyses data resulting from questions on sexual behaviour asked in the Central Sydney section of the NSW Health Survey. The candidate advocated for inclusion of relevant questions to determine some benchmarks of sexual risk behaviour and to provide an indication of condom use among heterosexuals. Although limited in scope as a result of competing priorities for questions in the survey, results demonstrate that, while a small percentage of people were at risk, those with higher levels of partner change or of alcohol use were the most likely to always use condoms. Specifically, 100% of those with more than four new partners in the last 12 months had used condoms with every new partner. In addition, 'heavy' alcohol users were more likely to report condom use every time with new partners (odds ratio 0.34). To furnish data to inform future planning of educational activities for general practitioners, Chapter Seven presents the results of a survey of Central Sydney general practitioners' opinions and current practices in HIV risk reduction with in the broader context of sexually transmitted disease prevention. The general practitioner is in an ideal position to provide information and advice, especially if future research affirms the impact of such advice on STD risk behaviour. General practitioners in this study said they would be slightly more likely to discuss sexual health matters with young patients than with older ones (p=0.091), but this was not significant. The most cited barrier to discussing sexual health was inadequate remuneration for taking time to do so (over 50% gave this reason). The next most cited obstacle was difficulty in raising the subject of STDs or HIV in routine consultations, but this reason was given by less than half the sample. Forty-six percent had participated in continuing medical education programs in STDs, HIV/AIDS, or hepatitis diagnosis or management; 32% of GPs had patients with HIV, and 55% of all GPs indicated they would like more training in management and continuity of care of HIV patients. Approximately half (51%) wanted more training in sexuality issues, including sexual dysfunction. Chapter Eight reviews the whole thesis and discusses future directions for the research agenda.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-98). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR19633

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2007. / Title from title screen (site viewed Feb. 22, 2008). PDF text: v, 117 p. : ill. ; 11 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3275066. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (PhD (Medical Plant Science)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-118).

Thesis (M.S.)--Marshall University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 67 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 48-50).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-106). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.