New kinds of data, new options for HIV prevention among women: a public health challenge.

Abstract

This theoretical article applies and extends the theory of gender and power developed by Robert Connell to define the exposures and risk factors that put women at increased vulnerability to HIV. Gina M.Wingood and Ralph J. DiClemente in “Application of the Theory of Gender and Power to Examine HIV-Related Exposures Risk Factors and Effective Interventions for Women” propose a new and innovative theoretical framework for understanding the risk factors for HIV among women. They provide fairly detailed recommendations for HIV interventions to address the three major structures that characterize the gendered relationships between men and women: the sexual division of labor the sexual division of power and the structure of cathexis. Public health researchers and practitioners are in need of new models for addressing this issue. The predominant theoretical models prevalent in HIV/STD behavior change (i.e. health belief model theory of reasoned action social cognitive theory transtheoretical stages of change model AIDS risk reduction model) even those that have informed community interventions have been justly criticized as being individualistic in their conceptualization. Although several include sociocultural and interpersonal elements such as perceived norms concerning behaviors their applications often ignore the social and cultural context of women’s (and men’s) sexual behaviors. They assume that the individual has total control over behavior and do not address the diverse contextual factors related to gender (e.g. power differentials gender roles) that likely influence behaviors that put women at risk for HIV. Thus the elaboration of the theory of gender and power to better understand the determinants of risk factors for HIV among women is an important and timely addition to our thinking about this public health issue. (excerpt)