What Works in HIV Prevention for Women of Color

Chapter 1: Introduction

The demographic profile of the AIDS epidemic has steadily changed over time, and HIV prevention messages must keep pace with these evolving trends. HIV and AIDS cases continue to rise among women of color. The Surgeon General projects that 80 percent of women newly infected with HIV will be African-American or Latina. These sobering figures suggest a disconnect between existing HIV prevention efforts and women of color at-risk for HIV. A variety of cultural, economic, biological, and political variables shape women's experiences, and a comprehensive understanding of these complicated factors is necessary to stem the rising tide of HIV infections among women, especially among women of color. Acknowledging complex social issues in comprehensive HIV prevention programs for women of color requires careful attention to stereotypes about HIV and women. Women do not respond uniformly to gender-based prevention messages, as gender is one issue for women to consider in addition to social, cultural, and economic factors. Even so, women of the same race or ethnicity may respond to prevention messages differently based on their country of origin, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and other personal factors.

This guide is intended as a resource for community-based organizations (CBOs) hoping to expand or improve their HIV prevention services to women of color. It describes the theoretical foundations of targeted HIV prevention interventions as well as the practical experiences of organizations successfully fighting HIV infection among women of color. The CBOs described in this guide have developed and utilized effective HIV prevention strategies for women of color. These programs provide examples for other organizations seeking to prevent HIV infections among women of color.

Chapter Two discusses the epidemiology of HIV and AIDS among women of color in the U.S. today. Subsequent chapters examine factors that may contribute to the increasing number of HIV infections among women of color and look at critical modifications to prevailing HIV prevention theories. Finally, Chapter Four describes community-based programs tailored to the HIV prevention needs of women of color and provides contact information for the profiled community-based organizations.