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Countering the Surge of HIV/STIs and Co-occurring Problems of Intimate Partner Violence and Drug Abuse Among African American Women: Implications for HIV/STI Prevention

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African Americans and HIV/AIDS

Abstract

HIV/AIDS has had a devastating impact on African American women in the United States. Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a risk factor for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among African American women, particularly among those who are drug-involved. Substantial evidence indicates that the staggering rates of HIV and other STIs found among African American women have been fueled by their greater likelihood of experiencing the co-occurring problems of drug use and IPV. This chapter examines: (1) the rates of IPV among drug-involved, African American women; (2) the interpersonal contexts that link experiencing IPV and engaging in HIV/STI transmission risks among African American, drug-involved women; (3) drug involvement as a cause and correlate of IPV and HIV/STI transmission risks; (4) community-level factors influencing HIV/STIs among African American women; (5) macro-structural level risk factors, which influence the co-occurring problems of IPV, HIV risk, and drug use among African American women; and (6) implications for HIV prevention addressing the co-occurring problems of HIV, STIs, drug use and IPV among African American women. The chapter underscores the need for HIV/STI prevention strategies for African American women that address intrapersonal/individual, interpersonal, community, macro and structural risk factors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Intervention Group, Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA

    Nabila El-Bassel

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  1. Nabila El-Bassel
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  2. Louisa Gilbert
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  3. Susan Witte
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  4. Elwin Wu
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  5. Danielle Vinocur
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Correspondence to Nabila El-Bassel .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Preventi, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Clifton Rd, NE MS E-37 1600, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    Donna Hubbard McCree PhD, MPH, RPh

  2. Centers for Disease Control and Preventi, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Clifton Rd, NE MS E-37 1600, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    Kenneth Terrill Jones MSW

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Preventi, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Clifton Rd, NE MS E-37 1600, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    Ann O'Leary

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El-Bassel, N., Gilbert, L., Witte, S., Wu, E., Vinocur, D. (2010). Countering the Surge of HIV/STIs and Co-occurring Problems of Intimate Partner Violence and Drug Abuse Among African American Women: Implications for HIV/STI Prevention. In: McCree, D.H., Jones, K.T., O'Leary, A. (eds) African Americans and HIV/AIDS. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78321-5_7

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