182075 Perceptions of HIV Risk in Southeastern Rural and Urban African Americans

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 12:30 PM

Denethia B. Sellers, PhD, MSW , Arnold School of Public Health, Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership, Columbia, SC
Donna L. Richter, EdD, FAAHB , Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Vanisha L. Brown, PhD, MPH , School of Graduate Studies and Research, Division of Public Health Practice, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN
Marya Shegog, PhD, MPH , Pharmacy Practice, Hampton University School of Pharmacy, Hampton, VA
Melva V. Thompson-Robinson, DrPH , Department of Health Promotion, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Background: HIV/AIDS continues to be a major public health threat in the United States (US), disproportionately affecting African Americans in the Southeastern US. Recent statistics indicate that HIV/AIDS is rapidly spreading within the African American community, heavily impacting heterosexuals. The purpose of this study is to assess perceptions of HIV risk among African Americans living in the Southeastern US (South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida).

Methods: Twenty-one focus groups were conducted with self-identified heterosexual African American males and females aged 18-65 years in rural and urban areas in the Southeastern US. These semi-structured discussions focused on perceptions of HIV risk specifically within the African American community. The discussions were audio-taped and professionally transcribed. Emerging and recurring themes were identified by analyzing the transcripts using NVivo 2.0.

Results: Relevant themes emerged from the data regarding perceptions of HIV risk, medical distrust, the possibility of purposely spreading HIV among African Americans, and HIV risk among MSM.

Conclusions: The participants' perceptions expressed in these focus groups highlight the need to improve communication skills between sexual partners and safer sex practices in this community.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to: 1. Identify the perceptions of HIV risk within African American communities in the Southeastern United States. 2. Describe how these perceptions can give insight into how African Americans perceive HIV risk. 3. Discuss potential societal influences impacting African American men and women’s perceptions of HIV risk. 4. Discuss how awareness of perceptions of HIV risk can lead to improved communication skills and safer sex practices within the African American community.

Keywords: African American, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the author of the abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: A Turning Point: HIV/AIDS and Cultural Influences
See more of: Black Caucus of Health Workers