Culturally competent HIV prevention strategies for women of color in the United States.

Many studies suggest that aspects of culture be included in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) education efforts in the United States. Few, however, clearly identify specific strategies that respond to the unique cultural issues of women of color. This article reviews the literature for culturally competent HIV prevention efforts for women of color--Latina, African American, Asian Pacific Islander, and Native American--and synthesizes components that need to be addressed in programs and interventions. Findings suggest that for programs to be culturally competent, both race/ethnicity and gender, along with population-specific, culturally based attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, must be considered in interpersonal and organizational strategies.