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Women living with HIV are especially vulnerable to discrimination because of the stigma associated with the disease, as well as their race, gender and class status. To investigate the association between self-reported HIV discrimination and health outcomes among African- American and white women living with HIV, 366 women living with HIV were recruited from HIV/AIDS clinics in Georgia and Alabama. In this cross-sectional study, participants completed an interview that assessed self-reported HIV discrimination and depressive symptomatology, suicidal ideation, self-esteem, stress, quality of life, sexual health and HIV/AIDS related health care seeking. Nearly a sixth of the sample reported experiencing HIV discrimination. Women reporting HIV discrimination had higher mean scores for stress, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, number of unprotected sexual episodes; they had lower mean scores for self-esteem, and quality of life, and were more likely to have not sought medical care for HIV/AIDS. In race-specific analyses, none of the relationships between HIV discrimination and health outcomes were significant for white women. African-American women who reported HIV discrimination had higher mean scores for stress, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, number of unprotected sexual episodes; they had lower mean scores for self-esteem, and quality of life, and were more likely not to have sought medical care for HIV/AIDS. The findings indicated that HIV discrimination adversely affects women's mental, sexual and physical health. However, separate race-specific analyses indicated that compared to white women, African-American women were markedly more likely to experience the adverse affects of HIV discrimination. Eradication of HIV discrimination remains an important public health priority.

Objective: This study sought to determine whether perceiving portrayals of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos was associated with adverse health outcomes among African American adolescent females. Methods: African American female adolescents (n � 522) were recruited from community venues. Adolescents completed a survey consisting of questions on sociodemographic characteristics, rap music video viewing habits, and a scale that assessed the primary predictor variable, portrayal of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos. Adolescents also completed an interview that assessed the health outcomes and provided urine for a marijuana screen. Results: In logistic regression analyses, adolescents who perceived more portrayals of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos were more likely to engage in binge drinking (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.32‐11.04, p � 0.01), test positive for marijuana (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.19‐9.85, p � 0.02), have multiple sexual partners (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.01‐3.71, p � 0.04), and have a negative body image (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.02‐2.26, p � 0.04). This is one of the first studies quantitatively examining the relationship between cultural images of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos and a spectrum of adverse health outcomes in African American female adolescents. Conclusions: Greater attention to this social issue may improve the health of all adolescent females.