Knowledge, Behavior, and Feelings of Women Throughout South Dakota Regarding HIV and AIDS

The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge, behavior, and feelings of women throughout South Dakota regarding HIV/AIDS. A descriptive quantitative: study was done utilizing a questionnaire that assessed how knowledgeable women were, what behaviors they felt were high risk, how assertive they were and what feelings they had regarding HIV/ADDS in South Dakota. Ninety-three participants took part in the research. The conceptual framework utilized was the Social Theory of Gender and Power. The analysis of data is discussed and broken down into five areas: level of knowledge regarding HIV/ADDS, activities that limit the spread of HIV/ADDS, behaviors that can limit the spread of HIV/ADDS, assertiveness of women asking sexual history of their partner(s), and feelings regarding HIV/AIDS in the community. Seventy-seven percent of the women correctly answered the questions regarding general knowledge. Sixty-nine percent of the women correctly identified behaviors that would limit the Spread of HIV/AIDS. Seventy-eight percent of the women answered appropriately on the behaviors that were identified as being high risk to a woman. Fifty-four percent of the women selected that they would most likely or be somewhat likely to ask their partner a sexual history. Sixty-five percent of the women had a positive outlook towards the stigma that has been attached to HIV/AIDS. Conclusions fi-om this study indicate a need to target women that are at high risk. Once this targeting is done, a focus of applying safe sexual practices and implementing intense education prevention as well as risk reduction programs can occur