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Women at Risk: An AIDS Educational Needs Assessment
Author(s) -
Williams Ann B.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
image: the journal of nursing scholarship
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1547-5069
pISSN - 0743-5150
DOI - 10.1111/j.1547-5069.1991.tb00673.x
Subject(s) - risk perception , medicine , health education , health belief model , qualitative research , perception , psychology , risk assessment , isolation (microbiology) , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , nursing , family medicine , public health , sociology , social science , computer security , neuroscience , computer science , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
In order to acquire the information nurses need to develop education and support programs for women at risk for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a qualitative needs assessment of women at risk was conducted. Interviews were conducted with 21 women who were at risk for AIDS through their own injection drug use or as the heterosexual partners of injection drug users. Results were analyzed using the variables of the Health Belief Model including the concept of self‐efficacy. The perception of AIDS as a serious and a personal health threat motivated these women to practice both “safe sex” and “safe drug use.” However, they did not always believe that recommended health behaviors would be effective; and they noted significant costs associated with these behaviors. In addition, the impact of AIDS was seen to be a heightening of the isolation and mistrust which were characteristic of the injection drug using community befoe the epidemic. AIDS programs for women at risk should facilitate discussion of social and community issues and should emphasize hope rather than fear.