Premium
Beliefs about aids, health, and illness among low‐income latina women
Author(s) -
Flaskerud Jacquelyn H.,
Calvillo Evelyn Ruiz
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/nur.4770140607
Subject(s) - focus group , medicine , public health , qualitative research , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , health education , family medicine , clinical psychology , psychology , gerontology , nursing , social science , sociology , marketing , business
The purposes of this study were to describe (a) the health beliefs of Latina women about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); and (b) the relationship of these beliefs to the subjects' traditional beliefs about illness and its treatment. The sample consisted of 59 low‐income Latina women attending nutrition programs in Los Angeles. A qualitative approach was used to gather the data in semi‐structured focus group interviews. Content analysis was used to classify data according to causes of AIDS and prevention and treatment of AIDS. Causes of AIDS included all of the current biomedical and public health explanations of transmission, current popular beliefs and misconceptions about transmission, and longstanding traditional beliefs about the causes of illness. Prevention and treatment of AIDS reflected these same three perspectives. The women's beliefs consisted of accurate, inaccurate, and incomplete information about AIDS. Implications were drawn from the findings for AIDS education and prevention programs which are congruent with the participants' cultural beliefs, values, attitudes, and expectations.