HAITIAN WOMEN AND THE RISK OF HIV INFECTION

The Center for Biopsychosocial Studies of the University of Miami's
Department of Psychiatry in collaboration with the Center for Haitian
Studies, a community based organization, is proposing to conduct a three
year behavioral study among one hundred and fifty (150) Haitian women
living in Miami by using a combination of culturally sensitive
interviews (in Creole), home visits, pre-, post-test counseling and
one-to-one informal types of field contacts. The study will focus on
the perception of sexually transmitted diseases/HIV infection among
those Haitian women in reproductive age and its relation to high risk
behaviors; it will assess the barriers to behavior modification; the
impact of HIV pre- and post-test counseling and learning serological
status; use of the data collected and the experience acquired throughout
the study to develop culturally appropriate techniques for effective HIV
risk reduction and education on sexually transmitted diseases/HIV/AIDS
among Haitian women in reproductive age living in Miami.