This is a focused resource guide about HIV/AIDS as it relates to women, children, and neonatal health, especially in the African American community. It contains pertinent research information and useful resources for identifying health information related to this subject. Each year in the US, an estimated 6,000 - 7,000 women infected with HIV give birth (Chou, Smits, Huffman, & Kourthuis, 2005). In addition, mother-to child transmission of HIV from untreated mothers ranges from 14% - 25% in developed countries (Choi, Smits, Huffman, & Kourthuis, 2005).
Here are the definitions of HIV, HIV-1, and AIDS according to the Medline Plus Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2012):
HIV - any of several retroviruses and especially HIV-1 that infect and destroy helper T cells of the immune system causing the marked reduction in their numbers that is diagnostic of AIDS HIV can be passed from person to person if someone with HIV infection has sex with or shares drug injection needles with another person. It also can be passed from a mother to her baby when she is pregnant, when she delivers the baby, or if she breastfeeds her baby.
HIV-1 - a retrovirus of the genus Lentivirus (species Human immunodeficiency virus 1) that is the most prevalent HIV—called also HTLV-III, LAV
AIDS - a disease of the human immune system that is characterized cytologically especially by a reduction in the numbers of CD4-bearing helper T cells to 20 percent or less of normal thereby rendering the subject highly vulnerable to life-threatening conditions (as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) and to some that become life threatening (as Kaposi's sarcoma) and that is caused by infection with HIV commonly transmitted in infected blood especially during illicit intravenous drug use and in bodily secretions (as semen) during sexual intercourse—called also acquired immune deficiency syndrome, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
The focus is on pregnant women infected with HIV, but materials relating to African American women will be preferred over more general materials. Although in 2009 African Americans were only 14% of the population in the US, they comprised 44% of HIV infections that same year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012). HIV is also the third highest cause of death in African American women and men aged 35-44 in 2007 (CDC, 2012). There are many details that contribute to the higher prevalence of HIV in African American communities, and one of them is socioeconomic: Access to quality health information and health care are limited due to poverty (CDC, 2012). Unfortunately, there is a lack of resources in the area of research pertaining to pregnant African American women with HIV.
Here are the definitions of HIV, HIV-1, and AIDS according to the Medline Plus Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2012):
HIV - any of several retroviruses and especially HIV-1 that infect and destroy helper T cells of the immune system causing the marked reduction in their numbers that is diagnostic of AIDS HIV can be passed from person to person if someone with HIV infection has sex with or shares drug injection needles with another person. It also can be passed from a mother to her baby when she is pregnant, when she delivers the baby, or if she breastfeeds her baby.
HIV-1 - a retrovirus of the genus Lentivirus (species Human immunodeficiency virus 1) that is the most prevalent HIV—called also HTLV-III, LAV
AIDS - a disease of the human immune system that is characterized cytologically especially by a reduction in the numbers of CD4-bearing helper T cells to 20 percent or less of normal thereby rendering the subject highly vulnerable to life-threatening conditions (as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) and to some that become life threatening (as Kaposi's sarcoma) and that is caused by infection with HIV commonly transmitted in infected blood especially during illicit intravenous drug use and in bodily secretions (as semen) during sexual intercourse—called also acquired immune deficiency syndrome, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
The focus is on pregnant women infected with HIV, but materials relating to African American women will be preferred over more general materials. Although in 2009 African Americans were only 14% of the population in the US, they comprised 44% of HIV infections that same year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012). HIV is also the third highest cause of death in African American women and men aged 35-44 in 2007 (CDC, 2012). There are many details that contribute to the higher prevalence of HIV in African American communities, and one of them is socioeconomic: Access to quality health information and health care are limited due to poverty (CDC, 2012). Unfortunately, there is a lack of resources in the area of research pertaining to pregnant African American women with HIV.
Website Details
Photo reproduced from inquisitr.com*
Each page on this website will provide addition assistance for clinical practitioners researching HIV/AIDS information for women and children. They will categorize published works and reputable websites on each subtopic. The following list catalogs the titles:
- Reference: Background
- Current Practice: Foreground
- Best-Practice Guides and Systematic Reviews
Quality Criteria
This is a list of guidelines used to evaluate resources and information. This criteria determines exclusion or inclusion on this site:
1. Currency:
Information on the "Reference" pages must be published within the past 10 years. All other pages must contain information that is either from the past five years or is the most recent version of methodology.
2. Language:
The resource must be available in English. Materials that also have Spanish translations are preferred and will be marked accordingly.
3. Country:
United States materials and sites are strongly preferred; however, international sites are allowed.
4. Topic:
All resources must have a main focus on HIV in women and children. Special preference is made for materials about HIV in pregnant women and in African American women.
5. Audience:
Clinical practitioners are the main audience; therefore, materials of secondary education levels and higher will be included.
1. Currency:
Information on the "Reference" pages must be published within the past 10 years. All other pages must contain information that is either from the past five years or is the most recent version of methodology.
2. Language:
The resource must be available in English. Materials that also have Spanish translations are preferred and will be marked accordingly.
3. Country:
United States materials and sites are strongly preferred; however, international sites are allowed.
4. Topic:
All resources must have a main focus on HIV in women and children. Special preference is made for materials about HIV in pregnant women and in African American women.
5. Audience:
Clinical practitioners are the main audience; therefore, materials of secondary education levels and higher will be included.
*http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2011/09/Aids-Ribbon.jpg
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). HIV among African Americans. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/index.htm
- Chou, R., Smits, A. K., Huffman, L. H., & Korthuis, P. T. (2005). Screening for Human Immunodeficiency Virus in pregnant women: Evidence synthesis. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/prevent/pdfser/hivpresyn.pdf
- Medline Plus Merriam-Webster. (2012). Medical Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html
- National Cancer Institute. (n.d.) Evaluating Online Sources of Health Information. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerlibrary/health-info-online
Updated 2013 by Peace Ossom Williamson