 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Linda L. Bailey, Office of Minority Health, Orange County Health Department, 475 W. Story Rd., Suite 1, Ocoee, FL 32761, 407-667-6209, Linda_Bailey@doh.state.fl.us and Kathy M. Walker, BA, Area 7 HIV/AIDS, Orange County Health Department, 604 Courtland Street, Ste 200, Orlando, FL 32804.
Black women with heterosexually acquired HIV are the fastest growing group with AIDS. In Florida, the Black, non-Hispanic population is over-represented in the current AIDS epidemic. Blacks tend to be diagnosed with HIV infection within a month of developing AIDS, and to die within a month of an AIDS diagnosis. This is the result of two important indicators: (1) not accessing early testing and (2) lack of treatment. Most HIV prevention activities target women who exchange sex for drugs or money with very little attention given to the professional woman.
“Serious Business: Professional Women Taking Care of the Business of Our Health”, was a forum tailored to attract professional women, a hardly reached population for HIV prevention.
The seminar's goal was to educate professional women regarding transmission, treatment, and prevention of HIV. Twenty-six percent (26%) of the women in attendance indicated never been tested for HIV. Reasons given: married for a long time, or in what they perceived as being in a long-term monogamous relationship, and that they are not gay. Additionally 20% of women in long-term relationship never discussed HIV with their partners. Data from the activities showed that 87% of women after receiving risk reduction information considered being tested for HIV. Six percent (6%) still would not take the test and 7% were unsure. Ninety-eight (98%) did indicate that after the presentation they would be more comfortable talking with their partner about HIV.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: African American, Women and HIV/AIDS
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.