HIV/AIDS in Rural Communities: Research, Education, and Advocacy

This wide-ranging volume reviews the experience and treatment of HIV/AIDS in rural America at the clinical, care system, community, and individual levels. Rural HIV-related phenomena are explored within healthcare contexts (physician shortages, treatment disparities) and the social environment (stigma, the opioid epidemic), and contrasted with urban frames of reference. Contributors present latest findings on HIV medications, best practices, and innovative opportunities for improving care and care settings, plus invaluable first-person perspective on the intersectionality of patient subpopulations. These chapters offer both seasoned and training practitioners a thorough grounding in the unique challenges of providing appropriate and effective services in the region. 

Featured topics include: 

•         Case study: Georgia’s rural vs. non-rural populations
•         HIV medications: how they work and why they fail
  
•         Pediatric/adolescent HIV: legal and ethical issues
  
•         Our experience: HIV-positive African-American women in the Deep South
  
•         Learning to age successfully with HIV 

Bringing important detail to an often-marginalized population, HIV/AIDS in Rural Communities will interest and inspire healthcare practitioners including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, case managers, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and family therapists, as well as educators, students, persons living with HIV, advocates, community leaders, and policymakers.                                                                                                   

Fayth M. Parks, PhD, is an associate professor and licensed psychologist in the Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development at Georgia Southern University. From 2010-2012, she was an HIV/AIDS trainer through the American Psychological Association’s (APA) HIV Office for Psychology Education (HOPE).  In 2012, Dr. Parks was inspired by the HOPE training program to found the Rural HIV Research and Training Conference held annually in Savannah, Georgia.  She serves on the Steering Committee for the Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center (SE AETC).  She is also chair of the APA Ad Hoc Committee on Psychology and AIDS (COPA).  Dr. Parks has written and lectured extensively on cultural diversity in health and illness, healing practices, and traditional medicine.  In 2009, she was the David B. Larson Fellow in Health and Spirituality at The John W. Kluge Center of the Library of Congress.

Gregory S. Felzien, MD, AAHIVS, is board certified in both internal medicine and infectious diseases and also certified as an American Academy of HIV specialist.  He is medical advisor within the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Division of Health Protection/IDI-HIV.  As part of this position, Dr. Felzien continues to care for and focus on the needs of rural HIV positive individuals throughout the state. Dr. Felzien practices infectious diseases with an emphasis on HIV, Tb, and Hepatitis.  He is actively involved in the rural community through coordinating HIV awareness and education and writing and speaking at the local, state, and national level.  He is also as a member of the provider advisory board for the CDC’s HIV medical monitoring program and Steering Committee for the Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center (SE AETC).

Sally Jue, MSW, is former manager of AIDS Project Los Angeles.  During her time with the AIDS Project Los Angeles, Ms. Jue created and managed one of the first HIV mental health programs in the United States. She and her staff created innovative clinical treatment programs for clients with co-occurring disorders as well as volunteer peer support programs. In addition to overseeing staff, peer, professional volunteers and interns, Ms. Jue was also active in developing partnerships that brought together different organizations and communities to advocate for improved access to services for people affected by HIV. Ms. Jue is a founder and former chair of the LA County HIV Asian Pacific Caucus, a former consultant for the SAMHSA Mental Health HIV Services Collaborative, and former appointee to the LA County Department of Health Services’ Cultural and Linguistic Competency Standards Work Group.