An exploratory qualitative study -- employing in-depth, unstructured interviews and a short interviewer-administered questionnaire -- is proposed to learn more about the treatment-related behavior of seropositive women, and about how it may be different or similar for native-born African-Americans, Puerto Ricans (any race) born in Puerto Rico or on the mainland US, and native born non-Hispanic whites. The study sample will consist of approximately 25 African-American, 25 Puerto Rican and 25 white women (total N=75). Reflecting the study focus on secondary prevention, we will restrict the sample to HIV infected women, not diagnosed with or presenting evidence of AIDS.
The aim of the current study is to generate grounded theory regarding the treatment behavior of HIV infected women by exploring how their reported and perceived experiences influence treatment decision-making with respect to: 1. Factors associated with decision-making patterns for learning about their HIV seropositivity; 2. Factors associated with treatment initiation; 3. Factors influencing the formulation and continuation of treatment plans. The proposed study will yield rich qualitative data which should provide substantive insights into factors associated with timely HIV antibody testing, treatment initiation, and continuation, and how these are conditioned by race/ethnicity and disease stage. The data obtained should generate new constructs, new interpretations of previously observed phenomena regarding race/ethnicity and gender differences in illness behavior, and new hypotheses that can be systematically tested in future research by ourselves and others. The insights gained will have important implications for promoting secondary prevention efforts, and developing health decision models more specific to women, minorities, and HIV.
