Submission Type
Event
Faculty Advisor
Carolyn Nadeau
Expected Graduation Date
2019
Location
Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Start Date
4-21-2018 2:00 PM
End Date
4-21-2018 3:00 PM
Disciplines
Education
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has received significant attention in recent years due to the stigma of having the disease and the potentially fatal prognosis. Though the virus does not discriminate between groups of people in a biological manner, certain ethnic groups in the United States suffer from higher rates of transmission and lower rates of treatment. Among these groups is the Hispanic population, which accounts for 25% of HIV cases despite comprising only 17% of the US population. HIV is transmitted through contact with blood or sexual contact with infected persons. Cultural beliefs of the Hispanic population, such as machismo and marianismo, affect sexual behavior, which in turn negatively influences the rate of HIV contraction and transmission. Here, a new method for HIV education centered around the positive reinforcement of cultural beliefs is proposed, which could potentially lower the rate of HIV contraction and increase the rate of treatment in the Hispanic population.
Included in
The Effects of Gender Norms on Hiv Contraction and Treatment in the Hispanic-American Population
Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has received significant attention in recent years due to the stigma of having the disease and the potentially fatal prognosis. Though the virus does not discriminate between groups of people in a biological manner, certain ethnic groups in the United States suffer from higher rates of transmission and lower rates of treatment. Among these groups is the Hispanic population, which accounts for 25% of HIV cases despite comprising only 17% of the US population. HIV is transmitted through contact with blood or sexual contact with infected persons. Cultural beliefs of the Hispanic population, such as machismo and marianismo, affect sexual behavior, which in turn negatively influences the rate of HIV contraction and transmission. Here, a new method for HIV education centered around the positive reinforcement of cultural beliefs is proposed, which could potentially lower the rate of HIV contraction and increase the rate of treatment in the Hispanic population.