Using Participatory Research to Work With Women from Ethnic Minorities at Risk for HIV Living In Industrialized Countries

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the utility of participatory approaches for working with ethnic minority women at risk of contracting HIV living in industrialized countries. The literature suggests that these women’s sexual risk behaviors should be analyzed taking into account in the social context that reduces their power to negotiate condom use. In this paper, we argue that because participatory approaches promote the empowerment of vulnerable populations, they offer a promising alternative for HIV prevention in women from ethnic minorities. Hence, interventions targeting these women in high income countries should aim to help them gain control over their relationships, lessen their dependence on men, and enable them to negotiate condom use.