1 Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine , Boston, Massachusetts.
2 Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, Montclair State University , Montclair, New Jersey.
AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2018 Apr;32(4):119-128. doi: 10.1089/apc.2017.0215.
Project THANKS, (Turning HIV/AIDS into Knowledge for Sisters), is an evidence-based intervention that utilizes a community-based participatory and empowerment building approach for African American female substance abusers living with HIV and other chronic diseases. This qualitative study sought to gain insight from women living with HIV on how to improve Project THANKS. African American women living with substance abuse disorders, HIV, and other comorbidities were recruited from three community based health centers in New Jersey (N = 31). Ninety minute focus group sessions were implemented in each health center. The focus group sessions were designed to understand the perceived factors influencing the participants' ability to self-manage their health conditions and challenges they are currently facing regarding their diagnoses. The barriers and suggestions presented by participants included addressing stigmatization, managing mental health symptoms, improving physician-patient trust, accessing health education, educating community members, and proper nutrition. In addition, an engaged and trusting relationship with their healthcare provider and having positive sources of support were cited as motivators to adhering to their HIV treatment regimen. Participants living with HIV/AIDS also expressed more concern with difficulty treating their comorbidities than participants with only HIV/AIDS. Receiving input from African American women living with HIV related comorbidities was essential in improving the intervention to include a behavioral and primary health approach. Future programmatic interventions of Project THANKS will include a targeted focus on addressing mental health needs in women by offering meditation services and mental health referrals. In addition, Project THANKS will incorporate activities to improve communication with physicians, families, and media outlets to empower women to take an active role in their primary and social support needs.
THANKS 项目（将艾滋病毒/艾滋病转变为姐妹知识）是一项基于证据的干预措施，采用基于社区的参与和赋权建设方法，针对感染艾滋病毒和患有其他慢性疾病的非裔美国女性药物滥用者。这项定性研究旨在深入了解感染艾滋病毒的女性如何改进 THANKS 项目。从新泽西州的三个社区卫生中心招募了患有药物滥用障碍、艾滋病毒和其他合并症的非裔美国女性（N=31）。在每个卫生中心都实施了 90 分钟的焦点小组会议。焦点小组会议旨在了解影响参与者自我管理健康状况的感知因素，以及他们目前在诊断方面面临的挑战。参与者提出的障碍和建议包括解决污名化问题、管理心理健康症状、改善医患信任、获得健康教育、教育社区成员和适当营养。此外，与医疗保健提供者建立积极和信任的关系，并拥有积极的支持来源，被认为是坚持艾滋病毒治疗方案的动机。患有艾滋病毒/艾滋病的参与者还表示，他们更关注治疗合并症的困难，而不是只患有艾滋病毒/艾滋病的参与者。从感染艾滋病毒相关合并症的非裔美国女性那里获得意见对于改进干预措施以包括行为和初级保健方法至关重要。 THANKS 项目的未来方案干预措施将包括有针对性地关注解决女性的心理健康需求，提供冥想服务和心理健康转介。此外， THANKS 项目将纳入改善与医生、家庭和媒体沟通的活动，以使妇女能够积极参与其初级和社会支持需求。
