142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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305115
Cultural Narratives of HIV-Positive African American Women Living in Rural and Urban South Carolina: Place Matters

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014 : 2:45 PM - 3:00 PM

Alyssa Robillard, PhD, CHES , Arnold School of Health, Health Promotion Education and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Kaleea Lewis, MSPH , Arnold School of Public Health, Health Promotion Education and Behavior, Columbia, SC
Lucy Annang, PhD , Arnold School of Public Health, Health Promotion Education and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Lisa Wigfall, PhD , Center for Health Disparities, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Medha Iyer, MD, PhD, MPH , Health Services Policy and Management, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Background: Rural counties are among the poorest counties, and women living there are limited in their access to care (Phillips, et al., 2011).  For poor women living with HIV/AIDS in rural areas, day-to-day survival may take precedence over HIV management and care (Riley, et al., 2007). Culture-specific interventions demonstrate success, however few have used true culture-centric approaches with African American women. The purpose of this qualitative study is to compare cultural narratives of HIV-positive African American women living in rural and urban areas.

Methods: This qualitative study employed semi-structured individual private interviews with HIV-positive African American women 18 and older (N=25).  Interview guides were developed using a chronological and ecological approach based on grounded theory. Comparative narrative analysis of transcribed interviews from rural (N=9) and urban (N=16) women were conducted through a sensitizing framework of hardships while living with HIV.

Results: While hardships experienced by HIV-positive women living in urban and rural areas were similar, findings suggest contextually greater hardships for women living in rural areas.  Findings reflected instances of isolation, both from family and society, mental health issues such as depression and lack of privacy and confidentiality within community settings for women living in rural areas.

Conclusion: Narratives provide insight into the lives and experiences of HIV-positive African American women and offer greater context into the layered interactions in their lives.  Storytelling using cultural narratives may be effective in HIV social support interventions, especially among women living in rural areas whose access to traditional interventions is limited.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture

Learning Objectives:
Describe the experiences of HIV-positive African American women living in rural areas

Keyword(s): African American, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the principal investigator for the study presented. My research has addressed HIV prevention for multiple vulnerable populations including youth, incarcerated, and women as a research team member on several federally funded grants.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.