Latina immigrant farmworkers are a vulnerable and understudied population that face a host of socio-cultural and structural barriers that place them at risk for HIV infection. Cultural factors, including traditional gender roles that frequently inhibit communication between partners and promote rigid roles, may particularly affect self-protection in regards to HIV prevention among Latinas.
Researchers at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work and Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA) are examining the impact of women's gender norms on HIV knowledge and safe sex negotiation skills, along with the moderating influence of HIV self-efficacy among Latina immigrants in a farmworker community.
“It’s important to understand the barriers to HIV prevention among subgroups in order to know how to adapt current interventions or develop new ones that would accurately address HIV health disparities”, said Gira J. Ravelo, principal investigator on the study and CRUSADA researcher.
In traditional Latinx culture, the concept of men having multiple partners, despite their marital status, is known as machismo. In contrast, women are expected to ignore their partner’s infidelities and remain loyal and devoted to their partners and families, a concept known as marianismo, stemming from the biblical Virgin Mary. This combination, places traditional Latina women at high risk for HIV infection via their primary partners.
“We found that the more Americanized or acculturated the women were, the lower their marianismo scores,” continued Ravelo. “This also meant they were more empowered to negotiate condom use and advocate for themselves against the risks associated with traditional gender norms, such as machismo”.
The study found that HIV prevention can be especially challenging among Latina immigrant farm workers due to socio-cultural and traditional gender norms faced by Latinas in farm working communities. These norms need be taken into account when developing and adapting culturally appropriate interventions to reduce HIV related risk behaviors for Latinas residing in urban or farm working communities.
To read the full study, click here .