Rehabilitation Service Utilization Among African American Women Living With HIV/AIDS

Abstract

African American women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. As individuals with HIV/AIDS are living longer and healthier lives, research exploring the appropriateness of rehabilitation services has increased. To date, no research has examined the specific use of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services among HIV-positive African American women. The purpose of this study was to apply the behavioral model for vulnerable populations (BMVP) to examine key predisposing, enabling, and need variables related to and predictive of the utilization of VR services among African American women with HIV/AIDS. Survey research methods were used to collect data from a sample of 313 African American women living with HIV/AIDS, recruited from AIDS Service Organizations and national HIV/AIDS networks across the United States, who volunteered to complete the National Working Positive Coalition–Vocational Development and Employment Needs Survey. Hierarchical logistic regression statistical analyses were conducted to identify key factors predictive of use of VR services. Receipt of income benefits and knowledge of VR services were found to be predictive of the utilization of VR services among African American women living with HIV/AIDS.