The HIV/AIDS epidemic disproportionately affects Black and African American women in the United States. This study examined the extent of HIV related knowledge, HIV testing decision-making, and perceptions of alcohol use as a risk factor for HIV among Black and African American women in urban and suburban communities. Seven focus groups were conducted with 37 women aged 18 to 49 residing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Women participating in focus groups had a wide breadth of HIV related knowledge. Findings suggest the influence of interpersonal relationships and provider-patient interactions on HIV testing, the need for building community capacity and leveraging community resources towards HIV prevention, and the influence of alcohol outlet density on HIV vulnerability and exposure in communities of color. Comprehensive multifaceted evidence informed interventions that are culturally relevant and gender responsive are needed to reduce HIV/AIDS disparities.
Keywords: African American women; Black women; HIV knowledge; HIV testing; HIV/AIDS; alcohol use.