"We black women have to kill a lion everyday": An intersectional analysis of racism and social determinants of health in Brazil.

The concept of intersectionality has been used to analyze and understand how multiple forms of identity and oppression interact to shape life experiences of marginalized groups. We conducted a qualitative study to explore how Black Brazilian women experience the intersections of race, class, and gender and the ways in which these intersecting experiences act as social determinants of health. Nine focus groups were conducted with Black, White, and mixed-race women of childbearing age (n = 37), social and health activists (n = 11), and health professionals (n = 20).

Communication Between Middle SES Black Women and Healthcare Providers About HIV Testing.

Purpose: This article explores the impact of patient and healthcare provider communication (PPC) on the HIV testing behaviors of middle socioeconomic status (SES) Black women in North Carolina. We explore how PPC about STIs and HIV (or the lack thereof) affects the provision of STI/HIV testing by either confirming the need for middle SES Black women to test routinely or potentially deterring women from feeling they need to be tested.

Methods/findings: After conducting 15 qualitative interviews with middle SES Black women between 25 and 45 years of age, we uncovered the role of patient self-advocacy in promoting HIV testing among middle SES Black women when they communicate with their healthcare providers.