Lessons Learned From More Than Two Decades of HIV/AIDS Prevention Efforts: Implications for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

• Published in: American annals of the deaf (Washington, D.C. 1886) D.C. 1886), 2008-01, Vol.153 (1), p.48-54
• Main Authors: Winningham, April, Gore-Felton, Cheryl, Galletly, Carol, Seal, David, Thornton, Melanie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS); Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - prevention & control; Adolescents; AIDS; At Risk Persons; Attitude to Health; Behavior modeling; Child Abuse; Communication Skills; Communication Strategies; Communications networks; Community Relations; Deafness; Deafness - epidemiology; Discourse strategies; Disease control; Disproportionate Representation; Economic Factors; FEATURE ARTICLES; Gender Discrimination; Hard of Hearing; Health Behavior; Health Promotion; Hearing disorders; Hearing Impairments; Hearing loss; HIV; HIV infections; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Intention; Interpersonal Communication; Intervention; Manual Communication; Men; Persons With Hearing Impairments - statistics & numerical data; Prevention; Program Effectiveness; Risk factors; Self Efficacy; Sex crimes; Sexual behavior; Sexual orientation; Sexuality; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Social Attitudes; Social Bias; Social Support; Substance Abuse
• ISSN: 0002-726X; 1543-0375; 1543-0375
• DOI: 10.1353/aad.0.0002

IN CONTRAST with the nearly 30 years of HIV/AIDS research with the hearing community, data on HIV infection among persons who are deaf and hard of hearing is primarily anecdotal. Although the few available estimates suggest that deaf and hard of hearing persons are disproportionately affected by HIV infection, no surveillance systems are in place to identify either frequency or mode of HIV infection within this population. Moreover, to date, all empirically validated HIV prevention interventions have relied on communication strategies developed for persons who hear. Therefore, understanding and developing effective prevention methods is crucial for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. The authors explore (a) factors among this population that may contribute to HIV-related behaviors, (b) four key concepts consistently included in successful interventions, and (c) practical ways in which to use this information to tailor effective intervention strategies for this population.