A growing body of literature highlights the association between women who have experienced intimate partner abuse (IPA) and their heightened risk for HIV/AIDS (human immune deficiency syndrome/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome) infection. Finding HIV risk reduction strategies that are contextually relevant for this population is an important public policy priority. This qualitative study researched women who have experienced intimate partner abuse in order to develop a HIV/AIDS risk reduction intervention unique to their circumstances. This pilot study explored the critical components of such an intervention among a racially/ethnically stratified (African-American, Mexican-American and Anglo) sample of women (n=43) who have experienced IPA. Focus groups were conducted and transcribed, and a content analysis was used to identify major themes. In all five focus groups, participants viewed the research as interesting, good, beneficial, and/or important based on their perceptions of risk for infection. Respondents felt that they knew of ways to protect themselves from infection in non-abusive relationships; however, acknowledged the difficulties of doing so given the context of their abusive relationships. Examining the racial/ethnic differences across focus groups showed that the language used by women is quite variable. The ways in which survivors define rape, sexual abuse, and their own experiences are all unique; however, their actual experiences have many similarities. Discussed at length are the topics participants shared as critical in informing the design of an intervention and the relevance of the findings to social work clinical practice is explained.

The purpose of this study is to report the HIV testing rates among white Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans and to identify the frequency of use of HIV testing locations according to a variety of sociodemographic variables. Data for this study came from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Participants in the BRFSS were recruited from residential households in the United States through an ongoing, random-digit-dial telephone survey. Results showed that 40 percent of all participants had been tested for HIV and that HIV testing rates significantly differed by racial-ethnic group. Gender and income were not significant factors for HIV testing rates among African Americans. Marital status was not a significant factor for Hispanics. Overall, 41 percent of the sample had been tested at a private doctor's office or HMO facility, and 24 percent had been tested at a clinic. Hispanics were the only group more likely to have been tested at a clinic. Recommendations for increasing rates of testing among all racial-ethnic groups based on testing locations are explored. Implications of the findings that certain racial-ethnic groups are reporting higher rates of HIV testing and higher rates of new HIV infections are discussed.

Domestic violence shelters (n ¼ 59) in two southwestern states were surveyed about their services related to HIV prevention. Variables included organizational characteristics, agency protocols and practices, HIV=AIDS prevention programming, staffs' HIV=AIDS knowledge, and staffs' attitudes regarding HIV=AIDS prevention for women exposed to intimate partner violence. In this exploratory, descriptive study results indicated that most shelters had a significant awareness of how HIV=AIDS is transmitted, but few shelters offered testing (17%) or sexual safety planning (20%). Results also showed that eighty-one percent of respondents believe that HIV=AIDS educational prevention programs could be effective in protecting abused women from contracting HIV=AIDS. However, less than half (46%) of the respondents reported that they disseminate HIV=AIDS information to all women in the shelter.

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The article reports findings from a pilot study of 21 domestic violence shelters in a southwestern state in the United States. The survey instrument included descriptive information on shelter service delivery. Specifically, questions were asked about the practice of assessing a client's risk of HIV/AIDS, the provision of HIV/AIDS educational and prevention programs within shelters, and information about organizational characteristics that facilitate or impede the existence of these services. The findings suggest that shelters lacked sufficient HIV/AIDS policies and programs to respond to their client's heightened risk of infection. Although 19 (90.5 percent) of the shelters reported that they routinely ask about their clients' sexual abuse histories, there was no link between a woman's disclosure of sexual abuse and a subsequent provision of appropriate HIV/AIDS services (referrals for testing, treatment) by the shelter. HIV/AIDS awareness was high among the shelter staffwho responded to the survey, but HIV/AIDS prevention and education were practically nonexistent. Implications for social work practice are discussed.