Nursing research uses video dramas to prevent HIV spread

Madeline Fernandez, during her nursing doctorate at the University of Miami, contributed to a groundbreaking project: a Spanish-language telenovela aimed at educating Hispanic women about HIV prevention.

Titled Infeccion de Amor (Infectious Love), the series addresses cultural norms such as machismo and marianismo that impact HIV risks. With Hispanics disproportionately affected by HIV, the series provides crucial education in a discreet format, accessible via computers and mobile devices.

“There’s a lot of stigma around HIV (in Hispanic communities), so a woman could say, ‘I’m watching a soap opera,’ which is quite common in the Hispanic population,” said Fernandez, an assistant professor at the ECU College of Nursing. “Their male partners will not be too interested in what she’s watching, just another soap opera, and she’s getting educated on how to protect herself.”

Fernandez emphasized authenticity, consulting focus groups to ensure relatability. The bilingual cast and crew tailored the production for diverse Hispanic audiences, mindful of cultural sensitivities. Fernandez highlights the stigma around HIV, especially in Hispanic communities, necessitating discreet dissemination of information.

While the project’s direct translation may not suit North Carolina’s demographics, Fernandez sees potential in adapting similar strategies to combat HIV rates. In North Carolina, those rates are drastically imbalanced in terms of race, according to a 2021 report from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Black women have nearly 10 times the infection rate as white women, and Hispanic women are at least three times as likely to be infected as their white peers.

Her research focuses on miscarriage grief, but she’s inspired by colleague Natalia Villegas Rodriguez’s work on breastfeeding support via telehealth. Fernandez hopes to replicate the telenovela’s success in addressing sensitive topics like grief, extending its impact beyond HIV prevention.