Harris and Mallory’s research is prefaced on prior research findings that indicate that African-American women are nine times more likely than white women to die from AIDS, and African-American women account for 68% of all women infected with HIV in the U.S. Furthermore, new cases of AIDS have risen twice as fast in people aged 50 or over than in the younger population.

In their study, Professors Harris and Mallory will conduct individual interviews and focus groups to determine what factors influence risk-taking and preventive behaviors with respect to potential HIV infection. Using a purposive sampling plan to identify a heterogeneous group of about 25-50 African-American women between the ages of 40 and 65 who are HIV negative, the researchers will measure the women’s knowledge of HIV/AIDS and their feelings and behavior, including how they negotiate sexual encounters.  The researchers plan to identify how the women’s beliefs, feelings, and knowledge influence their behavior. Their long-term goal will be to develop interventions based on these findings in order to help reduce the occurrence of HIV/AIDS in this population in the future.

Professor Harris earned her Bachelors in Social Work from Iowa State University, her MSW from the University of Iowa, a second BA in Business Administration from Coe College, and her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign. She has worked in family therapy, residential treatment for adolescents, and with battered and homeless women. She came to the Illinois State University School of Social Work in the Fall of 2003, and she enjoys teaching field instruction and social welfare policy courses. Her research interest focuses on examining racial disparities in the delivery of social services.