Risk for HIV Among Middle-age African-American Women

描述（由申请人提供）：从历史上看，非裔美国妇女在卫生保健规划和研究中的代表性不足。特别是，对中年非裔美国妇女的研究几乎不存在，尽管她们在高危和艾滋病毒阳性人口中占很大比例。非洲裔美国妇女中的艾滋病毒/艾滋病是伊利诺伊州中部城市中心香槟-厄巴纳和布卢明顿-诺尔玛的一个严重问题。我们在这项研究中的目的是探讨社会，文化和个人因素和中年非洲裔美国妇女的风险承担和保护措施与艾滋病毒/艾滋病之间的关系。目标人群是年龄在40至65岁之间的非裔美国妇女，讲英语，艾滋病毒阴性或从未接受过艾滋病毒检测，并能够给予知情同意。三个理论构成了指导研究的概念框架，即非洲中心主义范式、性别和权力理论以及社会认知理论。扎根理论方法将指导定性和定量数据的收集。 该研究旨在回答以下研究问题：中年非洲裔美国妇女从事什么样的冒险行为和预防行为？什么因素影响中年非裔美国妇女的风险承担和预防行为？中年非裔美国妇女对艾滋病毒和艾滋病了解多少？中年非裔美国妇女在种族认同、精神和情感认知方面持有什么信念？中年非裔美国妇女对安全套使用自我效能的信念是否影响安全套的使用？中年非裔美国妇女对性沟通和谈判技巧与安全套使用的信念是什么？中年非裔美国妇女认为艾滋病知识和冒险或预防措施之间有关系吗？中年非裔美国妇女对艾滋病的感受是否影响她们的冒险行为或预防措施？焦点小组和访谈的样本规模估计为50-75人。将使用有目的抽样来选择参与者。定性数据的分析将与使用常数比较技术收集数据同时进行。将使用描述性统计技术分析数值数据。研究结果将用于进一步开发一种用于试点测试和大规模调查的工具，为干预研究做准备。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Historically, African American women have been underrepresented in health care planning and research. In particular, research with middle-age African American women is virtually non-existent, although, they represent a significant proportion of the at risk and HIV positive population. HIV/AIDS among African American women is a serious problem in the central Illinois urban centers of Champaign-Urbana, and Bloomington-Normal. Our purpose in this study is to explore the relationships between social, cultural, and individual factors and middle-age African American women's risk taking and protective practices related to HIV/AIDS. The target population is African American women between the ages of 40 and 65 years old, English speaking, HIV negative or have never been tested for HIV, and capable of giving informed consent. Three theories form the conceptual framework guiding the research, the Afrocentric paradigm, the theory of gender and power, and social cognitive theory. Grounded theory methodology will guide the collection of qualitative and quantitative data. The study is designed to answer the following research questions: What risk taking behavior and prevention behavior do middle-age African American women engage in? What factors influence middle-age African American women's risk taking and prevention behaviors? What do middle-age African American women know about HIV and AIDS? What beliefs do middle-age African American women hold with regard to ethnic identity, spirituality, and affective knowing? Do middle-age African American women's beliefs about self-efficacy for condom use influence condom use? What are middle-age African American women's beliefs about sexual communication and negotiation skills in relation to condom use? Do middle-age African American women believe there is a relationship between AIDS knowledge and risk taking or prevention practices? Do middle-age African American women's feelings about AIDS influence their risk taking or prevention practices? Sample size for the focus groups and interviews is estimated to be 50-75. Purposive sampling will be used to select participants. Analysis of qualitative data will proceed concurrently with data collection using constant comparison technique. Numerical data will be analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. Findings of the study will be used to further develop an instrument for pilot testing and large scale survey in preparation for intervention research.