Intensifying the burden: the implications of individual responsibility messages in HIV public service announcements aimed at Black women

Abstract

In the USA, HIV transmission rates among Black women are four times higher than white women, even in the face of low-risk behaviours, a discrepancy often overlooked because of historical stereotypes. In this study, we deconstruct a specific government-sponsored HIV prevention campaign targeted at Black women. Critical discourse analysis reveals a heavy focus on individual responsibility, self-sacrifice, family and deference to men. The presence of historically relevant racial and gender-related constructs suggests intersectional implications for the campaign. We provide suggestions for avoiding linkage to destructive racial constructs in HIV prevention messages and allied forms of sexual health communication aimed at Black women.

Keywords:

• Black women
• discourse analysis
• sexual health communication
• sex education messages
• HIV
• USA

Notes

1. There is no universally accepted minimum sample size advocated for use in critical discourse analysis, as sufficient variation can emerge from a very small sample, whereas large samples can overwhelm the analysis instead of enriching the analytical outcomes (Elliott 1996).

2. It is important to note that because our analysis involves HIV PSAs targeted toward Black heterosexual women, the experiences of Black women of differing sexual orientations are omitted from discussion. The analysis therefore cannot speak to results concerning sexual orientation and sexual diversity, which would add further dimension to the findings.