270874 Contributing Factors for HIV Infections in Mississippi among African American Female Adolescents and Young Adults

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Shemeka Hamlin-Palmer, PhD, MPH , My Brother's Keeper, Inc., Ridgeland, MS
ISSUE: The rate of HIV infection among women living in Mississippi has increased significantly since 2005. A preponderance of these cases is among African American (AA) women. In 2009, a total of 9,214 new cases were reported; and of these, 6,687 reported cases were among the AA population. Strikingly, 579 cases were reported among AA females between the ages 13 to 24 (Mississippi State Department of Health, 2010). These statistics reveal that HIV continues to be a major public health concern, especially among adolescent and young AA females. SETTINGS: My Brother's Keeper, Inc. (MBK) conducted three focus groups with AA females between the ages of 14 to 18 who resided in the Jackson, MS metropolitan area, which includes Copiah, Hinds, Madison, Rankin and Simpson counties. Each focus group was held at MBK Wellness Center located in the City of Jackson, MS. RESULTS: A total of 30 AA females' ages 14-18 were recruited between September 2010 and October 2010 to participate in three (3) focus groups held throughout the month of November 2010. A majority of the participants indicated that they had knowledge regarding and did not know the various modes of transmission. Misconceptions and myths about condom use (i.e., using two condoms simultaneously) existed among roughly one-third of the participants. In addition, participants recommended adding face-to-face educational sessions with female peers living with HIV so that they could share their story regarding how they became infected and how living with HIV has impacted their life.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Administration, management, leadership
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Public health or related education
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Based on findings from these focus groups, implementing the SIHLE intervention will provide HIV education in a safe environment and allow AA females to express themselves openly and freely with peers and near age facilitators on issues they face. The expected outcome is to clear up myths and misconceptions which are major contributing factors for HIV infections and transmission among this population and finally, to educate on safer sex practices and reinforce self pride and self worth. Other suggestions were to develop a Face Book page and a blog for the BFF Project.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a presenter at national and local conferences since 2006 on areas surrounding HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
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.

Back to: 4357.0: HIV and Other STI Poster Session