African-Americans account for
roughly 14% of the population, yet comprise 44% of new HIV/AIDS infections in
the United States (Centers for Disease Control, 2013).
These numbers represent a grave health
disparity where African-Americans bear a disproportionate brunt of the HIV/AIDS
epidemic. While much of the funding for research in HIV prevention among
African-Americans remains focused on the MSM (men who have sex with men)
population, heterosexual African-Americans have been left with little direction
for effectively confronting this epidemic.
Furthermore, most prevention
messaging is focused at the individual-level, encouraging mutual monogamy and
consistent condom use ( Nydegger,
Keeler, Hood, Siegel & Stacy, 2013). However, placing onus solely on the individual is
problematic as Prado,
Lightfoot, & Brown , 2013; there are structural and community-level factors that
complicate an individual's ability to substantially reduce their risk.
Here, we
make a call for conducting studies that more comprehensively examine the
historical, societal, structural, and community-level factors that affect
African-American heterosexual relationships, perpetuating increased risk for
HIV/AIDS infection in this group.
Full article at: http://goo.gl/xAxdXf
By:
National Development and Research Institutes
More at: https://twitter.com/hiv_insight
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