Preliminary Outcomes of a Model Program for Increasing Treatment Access for African American Women Who Use Crack Cocaine and Are at Risk for Contracting HIV

Abstract

In the United States, the threat of HIV/AIDS to African American women's health has become the focus of much concern. This paper describes a federally funded community-based program that provides services to African American women at risk for HIV/AIDS in Nashville, Tennessee. The program provides a culturally relevant set of interventions specific to crack cocaine users aimed at reducing substance use and HIV/AIDS risk behaviors. The model is important for the continued development of culturally relevant interventions aimed at reducing the disproportionate rates of HIV/AIDS within the African American community by ensuring treatment access to all populations.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV/AIDS
• African Americans
• women
• treatment access

Notes

This project was carried out with funding from a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) grant from the Targeted Capacity Expansion Program for Substance Abuse Treatment and HIV/AIDS Services (TCE/HIV). The views and opinions contained in the publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and should not be construed as such.

*Statistically significant difference on paired samples t-test.

*Statistically significant difference.