title: Sociology of AIDS within black communities: theoretical considerations.
abstract: This article looks retrospectively at the 1980s AIDS/HIV crisis among black Americans. A brief chronology of the epidemiology of AIDS is reviewed, then three social theories are proposed to understand AIDS related behavior in black communities: conflict theory is employed to examine economic statification; functionalist theory is used in the discussion of social dysfunction and marginality; and interactionist theory, in terms of deviance and labeling. The overall purpose is to provide theoretical frameworks to help health educators understand and create interventions within black at-risk communities. Policy considerations and recommendations are provided for more meaningful disease prevention programs to combat AIDS infections as well as chemical dependency problems in the 1990s.
authors.affiliation: Department of School and Community Health, University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spigner