Among U. S. racial and ethnic minority populations, African American communities are the most disproportionately impacted and affected by HIV/AIDS (CDC, 2009; CDC, 2008). The chapters in this volume seek to explore factors that contribute to this disparity as well as methods for intervening and positively impacting the e- demic in the U. S. The book is divided into two sections. The first section includes chapters that explore specific contextual and structural factors related to HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention in African Americans. The second section is composed of chapters that address the latest in intervention strategies, including best-evidence and promising-evidence based behavioral interventions, program evaluation, cost effectiveness analyses and HIV testing and counseling. As background for the book, the Introduction provides a summary of the context and importance of other infectious disease rates, (i. e. , sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] and tubercu- sis), to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in African Americans and a brief introductory discussion on the major contextual factors related to the acquisition and transmission of STDs/HIV. Contextual Chapters Johnson & Dean author the first chapter in this section, which discusses the history and epidemiology of HIV/AIDS among African Americans. Specifically, this ch- ter provides a definition for and description of the US surveillance systems used to track HIV/AIDS and presents data on HIV or AIDS cases diagnosed between 2002 and 2006 and reported to CDC as of June 30, 2007.

The Contribution to and Context of Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Tuberculosis in the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Among African Americans.- Context Chapters.- Epidemiology and Surveillance of HIV Infection and AIDS Among Non-Hispanic Blacks in the United States.- Racism, Poverty and HIV/AIDS Among African Americans.- Organized Religion and the Fight Against HIV/AIDS in the Black Community: The Role of the Black Church.- Disproportionate Drug Imprisonment Perpetuates the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in African American Communities.- Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health Disorders: Are They Related to Higher HIV Risk for African Americans?.- Countering the Surge of HIV/STIs and Co-occurring Problems of Intimate Partner Violence and Drug Abuse Among African American Women: Implications for HIV/STI Prevention.- Childhood Sexual Abuse, African American Women, and HIV Risk.- Interventions.- A Systematic Review of Evidence-Based Behavioral Interventions for African American Youth at Risk for HIV/STI Infection, 1988–2007.- HIV Behavioral Interventions for Heterosexual African American Men: A Critical Review of Cultural Competence.- HIV Prevention for Heterosexual African-American Women.- Formulating the Stress and Severity Model of Minority Social Stress for Black Men Who Have Sex with Men.- HIV Prevention Interventions for African American Injection Drug Users.- Structural Interventions with an Emphasis on Poverty and Racism.- HIV Behavioral Interventions for Incarcerated Populations in the United States: A Critical Review.- The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the African American Community: Where Do We Go from Here?.

Among U. S. racial and ethnic minority populations, African American communities are the most disproportionately impacted and affected by HIV/AIDS (CDC, 2009; CDC, 2008). The chapters in this volume seek to explore factors that contribute to this disparity as well as methods for intervening and positively impacting the e- demic in the U. S. The book is divided into two sections. The first section includes chapters that explore specific contextual and structural factors related to HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention in African Americans. The second section is composed of chapters that address the latest in intervention strategies, including best-evidence and promising-evidence based behavioral interventions, program evaluation, cost effectiveness analyses and HIV testing and counseling. As background for the book, the Introduction provides a summary of the context and importance of other infectious disease rates, (i. e. , sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] and tubercu- sis), to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in African Americans and a brief introductory discussion on the major contextual factors related to the acquisition and transmission of STDs/HIV. Contextual Chapters Johnson & Dean author the first chapter in this section, which discusses the history and epidemiology of HIV/AIDS among African Americans. Specifically, this ch- ter provides a definition for and description of the US surveillance systems used to track HIV/AIDS and presents data on HIV or AIDS cases diagnosed between 2002 and 2006 and reported to CDC as of June 30, 2007.