Perspectives of low-income African Americans on syphilis and HIV: implications for prevention

Infectious syphilis disproportionately affects African Americans living in poverty in metropolitan areas in the southeastern United States. In this population, where syphilis persists, the rates of HIV and AIDS are also persistently high. In an effort to facilitate the design of more effective prevention programs, the present investigation employed focus groups to obtain information from low-income African Americans concerning the determinants of high rates of syphilis and HIV/AIDS in their communities. The subjects were 36 African American men and women ages 18 to 56 residing in metropolitan Memphis and surrounding Shelby County, Tennessee. Overall, the authors found significant lack of awareness of the magnitude of HIV/AIDS and syphilis in African American communities and lack of knowledge about the etiology and transmission of syphilis. The investigation points to the important role of women and partnerships of community organizations in preventing the spread of HIV, syphilis, and other sexually transmitted diseases in this population.