Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Francis College of Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Apr 24;18(9):4535. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18094535.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic disproportionately affects Black and African American women in the United States. This study examined the extent of HIV related knowledge, HIV testing decision-making, and perceptions of alcohol use as a risk factor for HIV among Black and African American women in urban and suburban communities. Seven focus groups were conducted with 37 women aged 18 to 49 residing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Women participating in focus groups had a wide breadth of HIV related knowledge. Findings suggest the influence of interpersonal relationships and provider-patient interactions on HIV testing, the need for building community capacity and leveraging community resources towards HIV prevention, and the influence of alcohol outlet density on HIV vulnerability and exposure in communities of color. Comprehensive multifaceted evidence informed interventions that are culturally relevant and gender responsive are needed to reduce HIV/AIDS disparities.
艾滋病毒/艾滋病疫情在美国不成比例地影响着黑人和非裔美国妇女。本研究调查了城市和郊区社区中黑人和非裔美国妇女对艾滋病毒相关知识、艾滋病毒检测决策以及将饮酒视为艾滋病毒风险因素的认识程度。在马萨诸塞州进行了七次焦点小组讨论，共有 37 名年龄在 18 至 49 岁之间的妇女参加。参加焦点小组的妇女对艾滋病毒相关知识有广泛的了解。研究结果表明，人际关系和医患互动对艾滋病毒检测的影响，需要建立社区能力并利用社区资源预防艾滋病毒，以及酒精销售点密度对有色人种社区的艾滋病毒脆弱性和暴露的影响。需要采取综合的、多方面的、有证据支持的、文化相关的和对性别敏感的干预措施，以减少艾滋病毒/艾滋病的差异。
