Every year there are millions of people dying. People are dying of cancer, lung problems, or disease. Sexually transmitted diseases may also lead to death. For example, the HIV virus is one reason why black women are dying. This virus has the power to weaken someone’s immune system. There have been studies that have shown how African American women suffer from viruses like HIV/Aids. According to a report from the CDC, recent epidemiologic reports show that black women are at risk for HIV infection along with other sexually transmitted diseases (Sharpe, 2012, Pg. 249). African Americans take part in the second highest percentage of the HIV/AIDS disease. Amongst all the women that are living with an HIV infection, 64% are black (Sharper, 2012, Pg. 249). These shocking rates of HIV/AIDS and STD among black women can be linked to a change in their life. It can be related to how these women are living, where, and whom they are living with.
A number of these black women who are infected with HIV are living in poverty. Many black women have made educational and financial gains in the past, but there are still a number of them who are having trouble surviving. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau statistics, nearly 1 in 4 (24.7%) black Americans live in poverty (Sharpe, 2012, Pg. 250). Since many of these women are living in poverty, many live in residential neighborhoods where people have HIV/AIDS and STDs. These poor communities may be known to have residents who are prostitutes, or have people who sale drugs which can be a co-risk for this infection. Since many HIV positive black women are living in poverty, they do not have access to good quality health care. This may increase the risk of the HIV virus amongst a neighborhood....
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...its goal is to help reduce HIV-infection and high risks behaviors. This program utilizes the black church as a key component in the process. The women who attend the sessions are more likely to improve their likelihood of reducing high risk behavior.
Overall, numerous black women around the world are suffering from HIV. Although black women have the highest rate of HIV infection, many of them have learned how to live with this virus. These women did not choose to be infected. Many of them live in poverty and have no control over their life. Some of these women live with controlling partners and are afraid to take control of their relationship. Today, there are many programs that are helping women who are HIV positive deal with the situation they are in. They are bringing awareness and persuade women to get tested for HIV, which can help bring a stop to this virus.
As black men in America we have been cultured to undertake sexual conquest to show our bravado and earn manhood. These conquest have left our people with all kinds of diseases and STD’s. A lot of young men are pressured into losing their virginity this way and lose their innocence. The worse part about this whole or deal is the affect it has on black women. The rape culture has left African American women mentally emotionally and spiritually unstable with numerous trust of trust issues that will take years to heal. Socioeconomic factors like poverty, unemployment, education and some people because of geographic indifference cannot receive the information. This is making it increasingly more difficult for people under those conditions to protect
As both Tracey Reynolds and Audre Lorde have emphasized, Black women are not perpetually passive victims, but active agents. It is totally possible for Black women to seize a form of empowerment, whether that be alternative education, or the creation of organizations that weren’t situated in either the Civil Rights movement or Women’s
Collin thinks “race, class and gender represent the three system of oppression that most heavily affects African American women”. She also believes there are other groups than Black Women being affected by this oppression.
The Author of this book (On our own terms: race, class, and gender in the lives of African American Women) Leith Mullings seeks to explore the modern and historical lives of African American women on the issues of race, class and gender. Mullings does this in a very analytical way using a collection of essays written and collected over a twenty five year period. The author’s systematic format best explains her point of view. The book explores issues such as family, work and health comparing and contrasting between white and black women as well as between men and women of both races.
A careful examination of the sexual violence against african-american women in this piece reveals imbalances in the perceptions about gender, and sexuality shed that ultimately make the shift for equality and independence across race and class lines possible during this time period.
If we were to apply a longitude exposure study over the span of 42 years from the time an inner-city child is born, we may conclude that life experiences resulting from potential malnutrition, underprivileged environments, and overall lack of health education are the leading contributors to adult African American deaths. Studies show that 8 of the 10 leading causes in the deaths of African Americans are medical disease, which with proper education and care may have been prevented and/or addressed earlier in their life to diagnose and treat. The fact is Heart Disease is the leading cause of deaths for African Americans. When compared to other ethnicities, some form of heart disease causes 24.5% of African American deaths. These numbers are astounding considering Blacks make up approximately only 14.2% of the total U.S. population. The contributing factor is lack of knowledge and family medical screening. Understanding the history of your genial line specific to your race and ...
By writing Sisters of the Yam: Black Women and Self-Recovery Bell Hooks gave black women a chance to relate to one another on issues that we are often afraid to express. In PSC 318 we often discussed the stigma of being a “strong black woman” and the negative aspects of that stigma. In my eyes thee is nothing negative about being strong and there is surely nothing negative about being a black woman. But, as a black woman we are looked at providers, caregivers, mentors, mother figures, a shoulder to lean on and much more. Bell Hooks touches on the touchy subject in the black community and that is mental health. Often times as black people we worry about physical health and spiritual health, in the black community our answer to everything and anything going wrong in our lives is to pray about it. Yes, God can heal and help us but Bell Hooks tells us in writing Sisters of the Yam: Black Women and Self-Recovery that we need to take care of our mental health as well as pray. Black women rarely go to therapist to talk about their problems because they are so worried about helping everyone else handle their problems.
Rajaram, S. S., Vinson, V. (1998). African american women and diabetes: a sociocultural context. Journal of Health Care for the Poor & Underserved, 9(3), 236-247.
"African American Communities and Mental Health." Mental Health America. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. .
The article on Black America Web entitled “The state of Black America, Part 4: Health as Wealth” (Lewis, 17 Jan. 05) is mainly addressing how African Americans should get check-ups, eat a healthier diet, exercise, among other things to maintain their health. The authors main point of writing an article about health is so that African Americans will be propelled to take preventative measures to prevent and treat disease that may be debilitating or lethal, to get professional help if they are not feeling mentally prepared, and to put aside mistrust of the medical profession.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS weakens the immune system hampering the body’s defense mechanisms. AIDS is known to be a deadly disease, especially if it is not treated in a timely manner. AIDS and HIV is an epidemic that is increasing among the African American population with roots tracing back to Africa, AIDS and HIV needs greater exposure and more awareness within the African American community and in the homosexual community.
The main reason why this article was written was because there was a lack of attention on risk behaviours regarding women’s HIV prevention in the US. Since women have not been paid attention to, they are more susceptible then men in contracting HIV/AIDS. We need to design a risk reduction program that pays more attention to women.
the Community (7th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby Vyavaharkar, M., Moneyham, L., Corwin, S., Tavakoli, A., Saunders, R., & Annang, L. (2011). HIV-Disclosure, Social Support, and Depression Among HIV-Infected African American Women Living in the Rural Southeastern United States. AIDS Education & Prevention, 23(1), 78-90. doi:10.1521/aeap.2011.23.1.78.
HIV Speech It kills over 300,000 people a year. It can affect anyone regardless. of your race, gender, or age. It cannot be seen, treated, readily.
The AIDS virus is the most common disease, and with no cure, an infected person will die. It is estimated that 90 to 95 percent of AIDS infections occur in developing countries where the world’s worst living conditions exist.