 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Kristy A. Siegel, BS, Emily A. Owens, BA, Rachel Hayon, BA, Jacqueline Herrera, BA, Mary Auger, and Trina M. Geiss, BS. Department of Public Health, Florida International University, 300 N.E. 151st Street, North Miami, FL 33181, 305-899-3201, ksieg001@fiu.edu
The decision to disclose one’s human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status is an arduous task which makes one more vulnerable to judgment. For African American women there may be additional self-imposed and cultural barriers. The purpose of this theoretical study is to describe how the availability of social support provided through religious affiliation and perceived stress affect the disclosure of HIV serostatus by African American women. Based on current literature, three issues were identified that impacted African American women’s disclosure experiences: HIV-related stigma, rejection, and in some cases, increased support. Disclosure to family and friends resulted in isolation while disclosure at church resulted in the development of coping strategies. Coping self-efficacy in regards to HIV has shown to be significantly related to disclosure. Past disclosure research has shown that religious affiliation plays an important role in increased disclosure and support for African American women. Disclosure to friends and family only becomes an option when church surroundings are not available. Implications of these findings suggest that health care professionals should begin to target religious leaders as a means of conveying messages of HIV education and prevention.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: African American, HIV/AIDS
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.