AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND INTERSECTIONAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTADING AFRICAN DESCENT WOMEN'S RISK FO

AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND INTERSECTIONAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTADING AFRICAN DESCENT WOMEN'S RISK FOR CONTRACTING HIV/AIDS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Yvonne Patterson Central Connecticut State University, United States of America (Presented at the International Conference on Social and Education Sciences (IConSES)) which took place on October 21-24, 2021, Chicago, USA, https://www.2021.iconses.net/ organized by International Society for Technology, Education and Science ((ISTES)-http://www.istes.org) Despite the advent of life-saving prevention and treatment strategies which have helped to slow the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates for African descent women far outnumber the rates of all other racial groups of women in the United States of America. While risk-taking behavior as well as women’s biological vulnerabilities are important factors in explaining the disproportionate HIV/AIDS incidence and prevalence rates among all racial groups of women; alone, they are inadequate in explaining the disparity faced by African descent women. Examining the environment in which “risky behaviors” take place is critical in understanding the HIV/AIDS epidemic among African descent women. An understanding of the epidemic among African descent women is crucial in developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. The paper will discuss the conditions and intersecting factors which underlie the HIV/AIDS health disparity among women of African descent in the U.S. An epidemiological framework along with an intersectional approach will be used to guide the discussion.