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In the United States, the threat of HIV/AIDS to African American women's health has become the focus of much concern. This paper describes a federally funded community-based program that provides services to African American women at risk for HIV/AIDS in Nashville, Tennessee. The program provides a culturally relevant set of interventions specific to crack cocaine users aimed at reducing substance use and HIV/AIDS risk behaviors. The model is important for the continued development of culturally relevant interventions aimed at reducing the disproportionate rates of HIV/AIDS within the African American community by ensuring treatment access to all populations.

Significant health disparities in the rates of HIV infection primarily affect African American women. Although research has demonstrated that for some individuals HIV is connected to preventable high-risk behaviors related to substance use, a further examination of how these risks are perceived by the individuals involved in these activities is warranted. This study presents the results of 11 focus groups with 89 African American women who use crack cocaine in which respondents shared their perceptions of HIV risk behaviors. The results of this study suggest that women crack cocaine users in Nashville, Tennessee, are not injecting the drug. There appeared to be high levels of perceived sexual risks associated with the use of crack cocaine by some users; however, this was not universal, as many active users have internalized HIV prevention messages. The results of this study are significant in that further understanding of the means by which individuals experience their risk behaviors will enable more effective targeting of potential interventions to reduce the spread of HIV.

Notes the rise of the harm-reduction model in the provision of substance abuse services and the history and success of syringe exchange programs. Describes the Xchange Point, a nonprofit community-based AIDS services organization founded in 1996 as a street-based outreach and syringe exchange program. (Contains 15 references.) (GCP)

Early in the epidemic, HIV infection and AIDS were rarely diagnosed in women. Today, the HIV/AIDS epidemic represents a growing and persistent health threat to women, especially young women. The purpose of the current study was to conduct an international study with female undergraduate college students to assess knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS, current and future sexual behaviors, and condom use self-efficacy. Participants included several convenience samples of female undergraduate college students from three public universities in the southern region of the United States (n = 112), a large public university in Australia (n = 66), and a public university in Hong Kong (n = 93). This research study utilizes a quantitative survey research design. Seventy-seven percent of American women and 66% of Australian women were sexually active compared with only 21% of Chinese women (χ2 = 67.74, p < .001). Of the sexually active women, 86% of Australian women reported regular use of safer sex practices during the past year compared with 69% of American women and 20% of Chinese women (χ2 = 8.9, p < .05). Although the sample as a whole scored generally high on HIV/AIDS awareness, it is not reflected in safe sex practices or intentions for future safe sex practices. Future studies should focus on further understanding the social, cultural, and psychological factors that hamper safe sex practices among this population as well as successful intervention strategies to overcome these barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article provides an evaluation of a federally funded faith-based program that serves African Americans who use heroin and cocaine and are at risk for HIV/AIDS in Nashville, Tennessee. Methods: Data were collected from 163 individuals at baseline and 6- and 12-month follow-up interviews. A subset of participants (n = 51) completed all three interviews. Results: Results suggested that this culturally relevant set of interventions was successful in reducing substance use and HIV/AIDS risk behaviors. The program was able to show data that supported the efficacy of a faith-based approach emphasizing spirituality rather than directive, aggressive, authoritarian, or coercive counseling techniques. Discussion: The model is important to the continued development of culturally relevant interventions that are vital to decreasing the disproportionate rates of HIV/AIDS within the African American community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]