Public and behavioral health education concepts

¶ … African-American women are at greater risk for contracting HIV than other races. Stemming from this hypothesis, it will be investigated whether race, in this case being African-American, impacts the course of HIV after infection. Past research has indicated that African-American women, including both adults and adolescents, are disproportionately at risk for the contraction of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the resultant development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (Kennedy & Jenkins, 2011; Johnson et al., 1994). Researchers have explored the impact that sex-related issues have on the increases risk among this population, and it has been determined that sexual assertiveness is an interpersonal predictor of sexual behavior that poses increased risk for contracting HIV (Kennedy & Jenkins, 2011). Furthermore, research has indicated that women demonstrated low sexual assertiveness are at a greater risk for the development of HIV (Kennedy & Jenkins, 2011). It may be suggested that research in this area must focus on the exploration and development of prevention interventions targeting HIV within the African-American women population, potentially aiming at strategies that are culture-specific for maximum effectiveness (Kennedy & Jenkins, 2011). The

The present study under proposal will investigate two questions: 1) what behavioral risk factors are most associated with African-American women contracting HIV; and 2) how differently does the course of HIV and AIDS take for African-American women in comparison to women of other races. These questions will be addressed through quantitative scientific methods.

The sample used for this study will be African-American women with HIV, African-American women without HIV, and white women with HIV, and white women without HIV. The objective is to have a large sample for the study so that the results obtained through the study are high in reliability and validity. African-American and white women with HIV will be recruited through databases from healthcare organizations listing individuals who have contracted HIV. Participants will be ensured that confidentiality is of the highest priority in the study. Women without HIV will be recruited through an advertisement in the local community paper. All participants will be offered nominal compensation for their participation in the study.