| This dissertation is based upon two years of ethnographic fieldwork and evaluates an HIV risk reduction intervention in the lives of poor African American women who smoke crack and live in a high-risk neighborhood. A Black feminist perspective combined with symbolic interaction and social construction of reality guide the analytical framework as a way to extend knowledge about the social conditions, social interactions, and meaning of high-risk behavior in the lives of African American women. Based on participant observation and in-depth interviews, this critical ethnography examines the lives of 45 women who participated in the community-based HIV prevention intervention program. The women's experiences in changing risky behavior are contextualized in relation to their living conditions. The social typology that emerged from the constant comparison method common in grounded theory were “street” and “house” women. Street women are sub-typed as the absolute homeless; the rooming housed; and the hustling homeless. House women are sub-typed as the family housed; the heads of household; and the steady-partner housed. In keeping with a black feminist perspective, the findings include structure and agency perspectives, and have implications for the study of race, class, and gender inequality. Implications for research towards more effective HIV interventions targeting poor African American women who smoke crack are discussed. This research was funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse Grant R01-DA10642, C. Sterk and K. Elifson, Co-Primary Investigators. |
