title: "You need to know where we're coming from": Canadian Aboriginal women's perspectives on culturally appropriate HIV counseling and testing.
abstract: The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to determine Canadian Aboriginal women's perspectives on culturally appropriate HIV counseling and testing. Data were collected through semistructured individual interviews with 7 Aboriginal women, and one focus group, in a western Canadian city. Four major categories were elucidated through thematic content analysis: Aboriginal women's life experiences that may influence their risk of HIV infection and their response to testing; barriers to HIV testing; guiding principles of the ideal HIV testing situation; and characteristics of culturally appropriate HIV testing. The fear of being judged by both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities and the need for sensitivity to the historical and current context of Aboriginal women's life experiences were pervasive themes throughout the findings.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bucharski
authors.forename: Linda I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Reutter
authors.forename: Linda D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Ogilvie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D044467:American Indian or Alaska Native / Q000523:psychology; D003376:Counseling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019037:Urban Health Services; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000208:ethnology; D016387:Women's Health; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*