This research project discusses how social determinants of health relate to the incidence of HIV/AIDS in the United States. Our team focused on HIV/AIDS education in high minority and impoverished communities. HIV prevalence is the highest among those below or at the poverty line as well as those who have less than a high school education (CDC, 2019). We found that lack of income and adequate education are directly related to the increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS.

The purpose of our project is to identify areas where HIV/AIDS education could be improved and to determine how low economic status and lack of education has worked together to fuel the spread of this disease. We started by identifying past educational recommendations the public had implemented over the years and compared it to the education that is being taught currently. We found that adequate education regarding the prevention of HIV/AIDS was not reaching impoverished areas and decided to construct an action plan based on this finding. The action plan being proposed includes gathering data on the education material that is being taught to grades 6-12 in impoverished/minority areas regarding HIV/AIDS and analyzing where educational gaps are present. When these gaps are identified, we can formulate a comprehensive educational curriculum that addresses misinformation regarding the disease and educate this population on evidence-based facts on the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS. Simultaneously, we can begin to track HIV/AIDS occurrence rates to see if this enhanced education is decreasing rates of HIV/AIDS in low-income/minority areas.