"My God Has Not Spoken": A Qualitative Study of HIV Management Experiences Among African American Women

Abstract:Racial residential segregation continues to serve as an influential driver of adverse health outcomes among African Americans, including a disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS. In this study, researchers sought to understand the experiences and perceptions of African American women living in a racially segregated city in the Northeastern region of the United States. All of the women interviewed were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The study sought to better understand the coping and healing practices utilized by the women, as part of their illness management experience. Participants reported that they faced rejection after disclosing their diagnosis and expressed concerns related to stigma, trust in their healthcare providers, managing comorbidities, and restorative health practices that gave them agency in their healing process. Women in this study expressed managing their diagnosis with a great deal of resilience and perseverance by using their faith and religious practices as part of their illness management experience. The results of this study suggest that interventions that build upon current coping patterns based in empowerment and agency are necessary to decrease AIDS-related morbidity and mortality among African American women who reside in racially segregated communities.