Core Concepts
Empowering hair stylists to promote HIV prevention among Black women.
Abstract
Women's sexual health discussions in beauty salons can be leveraged for HIV prevention.
- HEEAT Research Lab pilot program trained stylists to educate women on HIV prevention.
- Black women disproportionately affected by HIV despite being a minority.
- Importance of PREP uptake among Black women to end the HIV epidemic.
- Nurse-led intervention through stylists to increase PREP awareness and reduce stigma.
- Culturally relevant approach with educational videos and navigator assistance.
- Positive impact on participants' knowledge, awareness, and stigma reduction.
- Expansion of health promotion agents to include hairstylists is commendable.
- Collaboration with trusted community partners can improve awareness and uptake among Black women.
- Scalable intervention with potential for broader implementation.
Stats
Black women make up 64% of new HIV diagnoses among women in the US.
About 90% of pre-exposure prophylaxis users are male.
Only 21% of Black individuals are taking medication to avoid HIV infection.
Quotes
"We wanted Black women to see themselves in their everyday life." - Schenita D. Randolph
"Everyone in HIV prevention can do better to reach subpopulations who don't hear about all the options they have at their disposal." - Dalmacio Dennis Flores
"There's a level of trust that has to be there for you to let people into that level of personal space of yours." - Rasheeta D. Chandler