HIV/AIDS Prevention

The National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), funded in part by CDC through its conference support cooperative agreement process, conducted a conference, "Empowerment: A Strategy for HIV Prevention and Access to Care Among Women of Color," June 23-25 in Houston, Texas. This by-invitation-only meeting brought together women of color of diverse racial/ethnic groups who are living with HIV/AIDS and service providers working in HIV prevention and care to examine strategies that work in diverse communities of color to prevent or reduce HIV infection and increase access to care and treatment for those already infected.

This conference was the first of its kind to address empowerment strategies for women of color. The agenda addressed the socio-demographics of the AIDS epidemic among women of color; the implications of sociocultural, psychological, economic, and geographic factors on HIV prevention and care; and the dynamic interaction of race, ethnicity, gender inequality, and power relationships and their impact on HIV prevention.

Issues discussed included the special needs of women living in rural areas; immigrants and border issues; incarcerated women; substance abusers; needle exchange programs; culturally competent, comprehensive, and holistic models of HIV prevention and care; Medicaid and managed care and their impact on HIV care for women; the special needs of women with children; prevention of perinatal transmission; the impact of new drug therapies on treatment for women and the reduction of perinatal transmission; female-controlled barrier and chemical methods to prevent sexual transmission of HIV; and other topics.

The purpose of the meeting was to generate specific recommendations for public and private funding sources and HIV service providers on the components of effective strategies for HIV prevention and care service delivery for women of color of diverse ethnic and racial groups. If you have questions about the conference, please call CDC's Sheila Cort Isoke, M.P.H., at 404- 639-0962.

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