Ensuring the program's efficacy and interactivity is not only dependent on parent-child and teacher interaction, but it is also dependent on the method used by the planner to bring forward the issue of HIV / AIDS infection and responsible sexual behavior. Among the most contemporary methods encouraged to be practiced in responsible sex behavior programs is the utilization of juvenile literature about HIV / AIDS prevention (Prater, 2001)
Social characteristics such as gender inequality and dominance of the society by the male predispose the female to the risks of HIV disease. Male dominated society predisposes women to social injustices such as sex harassment and lack of their contributions to matters related to the sexuality resulting in the predisposition (Hall, Hall, & Cockerell, 2011)
Such individuals engage in unprotected sex with the aim of getting pregnant to prove their fertility. Cultural practices such as polygamy and wife inheritance increase the risk of spread and disease of HIV (Jenkins et al
According to the Christian Bible, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of evil behaviors witnessed among the people of these cities. Similarly, religious bodies considered HIV / AIDS as a penalty sent from God due to the high evil behaviors witnessed around the world (Stolley & Glass, 2009)
" (Cole, 2005) The work entitled: "AIDS Pandemic: African-American Women Can't Sleep on This" published in the Black Women's Health Imperative states that "Black women comprise nearly two-thirds of all women who are HIV positive according to the Centers for Disease Control." (Morris, 2004) While the African-American population comprises only 12% of the population in the United States: "more than half of the 40,000 new HIV infections diagnosed each year are African-Americans
ages 16 to 21, showed that, compared to their white counterparts, African-American women were seven times more likely to be infected with HIV." (Brown, 2004) Brown reports further that "in addition to experiencing historically higher rates of HIV infection, African-Americans continue to face challenges in accessing health care, prevention services and treatment
except for a one-hour segment of one program, the overall AIDS education efforts were not culturally relevant for African-American women." (Archie-Booker, Cervero, and Langone, 1999) There were three stated factors that accounted for the lack of cultural relevancy which included: (1) the organizational image and financing were directed toward the interests of its white gay male leadership, (2) the internal interpretation of the agency's educational mission did not include a focus on African-American women, and (3) the organizational structure did not support substantive representation of the interests of African-American women in regard to programmatic decisions
Reconstructing realities for HIV-positive African-American women also requires that we hear from them directly, and that we understand the meaning that they attach to this disease." (Gilbert and Wright, 2002) AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN LIVING WITH AIDS PART THREE RACE and GENDER IMPLICATIONS The work of Andrews and Buchanan entitled: "HIV / AIDS in African-American Women: Implications for Feminist Therapists" relates that the percentage of women with HIV / AIDS has continued to increase, reflecting an ongoing shift in those populations most affected by the epidemic
In 2003 African-American and Hispanic women accounted for over 80% of the 11,211 newly reported HIV / AIDS cases among women, though together they represented less than one-fourth of all American women." (Andrews
except for a one-hour segment of one program, the overall AIDS education efforts were not culturally relevant for African-American women." (Archie-Booker, Cervero, and Langone, 1999) There were three stated factors that accounted for the lack of cultural relevancy which included: (1) the organizational image and financing were directed toward the interests of its white gay male leadership, (2) the internal interpretation of the agency's educational mission did not include a focus on African-American women, and (3) the organizational structure did not support substantive representation of the interests of African-American women in regard to programmatic decisions
Black women are the fastest growing population of new cases, accounting for two-third (67%) of new AIDS cases among women." (Cole, 2005) The work entitled: "AIDS Pandemic: African-American Women Can't Sleep on This" published in the Black Women's Health Imperative states that "Black women comprise nearly two-thirds of all women who are HIV positive according to the Centers for Disease Control
Relaxation combined with acupuncture have been used to improve the quality of life for patients with HIV / AIDS. In a randomized quantitative study using a quality of life scale, HIV / AIDS patients demonstrated improved scores, when compared to a control group (Change, Boehmer, & Zhao et al
Additional support was attained from a similar study, using a similar sample population and data collection method. This study supports the ability of spirituality and religion to have a positive affect on the outlook of patients and their perceptions of a greater quality of life because of them (Cotton, Puchalski, & Sherman, et al
, 2006). A cross section survey approach was used to explore the connection between quality of life and spirituality among HIV patients (Grimsley, 2006)
Qualitative studies focused on definition. An exploration of demographic factors and their relationship to the importance placed on religious and spiritual matters among HIV patients found that religion and spirituality were important issues to a majority of the patients (Lorenz, Hays, & Shapiro et
For instance, one must be careful that bias towards one particular religious view is not present in the study. Several rules and suggestions were developed through an exploration of spiritual assessment tools (Power, 2006)
The sample population consisted of three groups, two test groups and one control group. Content analysis of the responses of these three groups revealed six emergent themes in the content: spiritual belief in God, Spirituality as a source of help, spirituality as a source, spirituality expressed through actions such as prayer or meditation, God is present and giving, and spirituality as one's essence or center (Tuck & Thinganjana, 2007)
According to Cinti, Gandhi, and Riddell IV, the overall risk of non-AIDS-defining cancer in HIV-infected individuals is twice to three times that of the regular population. However, these researchers (Cinti, Gahdhi, & Riddel IV) also state that risk factors above and beyond immunosuppression, including growing older and smoking cigarettes, could have a major role in increasing the risk in HIV-infected people
The HIV passes from one person to the next through bodily fluids such as blood. In prior years, before any treatments were possible, most HIV individuals died of infections and certain types of cancer, or what is called AIDS-defining cancers, such as Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and advanced cervical cancer (Patel et al
For instance, the people who smoke cigarettes, which results in many types of cancer, are known to be higher among the HIV-infected numbers. AIDS patients should also be very careful on maintaining a well-balanced nutritional diet (Shiels)