Course Description:

This course on HIV & AIDS is based on a publication by the CDC, (the) Centers for Disease Control. The publication can also be found on the CDC’s website. This article describes the relationship between HIV/AIDS and Women by reviewing the effects of HIV infection in women, by a discussion of risk factors and barriers to prevention and finally by providing strategies for the prevention of HIV infection for women at risk. 

This newly published document (2017), provides timely and accurate information regarding the relationship between HIV infection and women. This publication is an excellent article for health professionals, especially those who work with women at risk for possible HIV infection. It provides the practitioner with a great deal of much needed information. The course is targeted for beginning, intermediate and advanced practitioners.  The course also includes an article regarding the persistence of the HIV epidemic among women in the US, addressing some of the unique concerns of women.  

Psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists and certified addictions counselors can benefit from this course. This course may also be helpful for other practitioners, such as midwives, dieticians and nutritionists who also need continuing education in the area of HIV and AIDS.  This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to learn more about HIV and AIDS in women.

Author: Centers for Disease Control and Haley & Justman

Learning Objectives: This course will provide an overview of HIV/AIDS among Women. Specifically, a professional will:

• Recognize the effects of HIV infection in women.
• Recall risk factors and barriers to prevention.
• Identify strategies for the prevention of HIV infection for women at risk.

Citation:  Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (2017).  CDC Fact Sheet:  HIV/AIDS Among Women. and Haley & Justman (2014), The HIV epidemic among women in the United States: A persistent puzzle.  Journal of Women’s Health, (22)9.

Reviewed by TM DiDona, PhD 2018 and found to be current.  Updated references include:

• Avila, J., Chelvakumar, G., & Ford, N. (2017). Gender and Sexual Minorities Cultural Competency Training for Pediatric Residents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(2), S87.
• Betancourt, J. R., Green, A. R., Carrillo, J. E., & Owusu Ananeh-Firempong, I. I. (2016). Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Public health reports.
• Bleidorn, W., Arslan, R. C., Denissen, J. J., Rentfrow, P. J., Gebauer, J. E., Potter, J., & Gosling, S. D. (2016). Age and gender differences in self-esteem—A cross-cultural window. Journal of personality and social psychology, 111(3), 396.
• Donaldson, W. V., & Vacha-Haase, T. (2016). Exploring staff clinical knowledge and practice with LGBT residents in long-term care: A grounded theory of cultural competency and training needs. Clinical Gerontologist, 39(5), 389-409.
• Rosenkrantz, D. E., Black, W. W., Abreu, R. L., Aleshire, M. E., & Fallin-Bennett, K. (2017). Health and health care of rural sexual and gender minorities: A systematic review. Stigma and Health, 2(3), 229.
• Tan, J. Y., Xu, L. J., Lopez, F. Y., Jia, J. L., Pho, M. T., Kim, K. E., & Chin, M. H. (2016). Shared decision making among clinicians and Asian American and Pacific Islander sexual and gender minorities: An intersectional approach to address a critical care gap. LGBT health, 3(5), 327-334.