A Feminist Approach to Practice in Working With Midlife and Older Women With HIV/AIDS

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experience regarding Hiv/Aids among Older Adult Inner-City Latinos

“…Because older Latino women in the present study were likely to obtain knowledge about HIV from peers and family members, recommendations can be made to encourage Latino women to talk openly and support one another formally and informally regarding strategies for condom use and HIV testing. Findings from Emlet et al (2002), in which a support group designed specifically for older women coping with HIV (of various ethnic backgrounds) was successful, are consistent with this recommendation. In their support group, participants in Emlet et al's study were able to speak openly about their diagnosis for the first time, speak with other older women about questions related to menopause, aging, and antiviral medication use, and, for the minority group members, openly discuss the stigma they encountered.…”

“…Because women in our sample were significantly less likely to have ever used condoms than men, and machismo was identified as a potential barrier to condom use, specific interventions designed to promote a Latino woman's ability to both obtain and negotiate the use of condoms appears essential. The use of a feminist approach, in which the dynamics of personal relationships as well as the experience of social stigma are addressed, can be used to inform the development of more effective primary prevention and related HIV interventions (Emlet, Tangenberg, & Siverson, 2002). Consistent with the fear of rejection articulated by some participants in this study, such a feminist approach acknowledges that there are likely to be significant interpersonal costs associated with a woman's request that her older Latino partner use condoms.…”

Sexuality and HIV/AIDS: An Exploration of Older Heterosexual Women's Knowledge Levels

“…Approximately 10% of North Americans with HIV/AIDS are over the age of 50 (Emlet, Tangenberg, & Siverson, 2002;Genke, 2000;Goodroad, 2003;Strombeck & Levy, 1998), and 12% of HIV-positive Canadians are over age 50 (Canadian AIDS Society, 2009a). From 1991 to 1996, the number of new American HIV/AIDS cases rose 22% for those over 50 but only increased 9% for individuals aged 13 to 49 (Genke, 2000).…”

Experiences of women aging with the human immunodeficiency virus: A qualitative study

“…This strain affected participants' ability to be themselves around family members and caused rifts in relationships, adding to the sense of isolation experienced by these women. Providing education on the physical, psychological, and social impacts that HIV can have on their loved one can encourage families to offer positive support (Emlet et al, 2002). Future research could examine the effects of HIV education during family meetings to see if such knowledge dissemination can increase social connectedness for women with HIV.…”